El Salvador SAN ERNESTO HONEY

Now in their sixth generation, brothers Enrique, Rene and Gustavo run San Ernesto alongside their two other farms. Their father Gustavo is still involved as an advisor, giving them the benefit of his experience.

The farm is split into twenty-eight tablons, allowing them to produce microlots if they wish. Each is between 3 and 6 hectares. In 2012/2013 they lost 80% of their coffee plantations to leaf rust, and the renewal has changed their way of management. Instead of pruning some of the trees, they are systematically pruning the whole parcel of land. Planting one varietal of coffee on each section of land helps with better management. This strategy has further evolved to start encompassing select varietals at their best performing altitudes and will form the planting structure over the next few years.

All the Urrutias Estate coffees are 100% shade grown and native trees are planted every year to prevent erosion. The main trees which are grown are the izote and the copalchi which also act as a natural wind barrier.

Producer: Urrutia’s Estate Coffee S.A. de C.V.
Region: El Balsamo, Quetzaltepeq
Altitude: 1000 – 1250 masl
Process: Honey
Variety: Bourbon, Pacas
SCA Score: 84