Honduras San Andres SHG

Origin: Honduras
Region: Lempira
Town: San Andres
Owner: Producers working with Bicafe Honduras
Co-Op Washing Station: 25 producers in San Andres Lempira
Varietal: Catuai, IHCAFE 90, Lempira, Pacas
Grade: SHG EP
Altitude: 1600-1800 masl
Harvest: November – April
Processing: Fully Washed
Tasting Notes: Nutty, sweet with notes of cacao nibs and honey.

Honduras is a small yet mighty coffee producer. The country boasts the largest per capita coffee production in the world. Beginning in 2017, Honduras began placing in third place for Arabica production volume globally. For this slot, they compete with Ethiopia—a country 10 times larger than Honduras. The two countries trade between third and fourth place annually, but the achievement is impressive, nonetheless.

Honduras has everything it needs to become a premier specialty coffee producer. The country has the right growing conditions, abundant fertile soils and soaring altitudes (nearly all farms are at more than 1,000 meters above sea level), plus a variety of microclimates.

Beginning in the early 2000s the industry began to focus on quality. Improved infrastructure (better mechanical dryers, centralized wet mills, an increasing number of solar dryers), quality control/assurance trainings (separating lots by qualities, cupping schools, etc.), the rise of specialty-focused exporters, increased volumes of certified coffees and the strengthening cooperative movement all have worked in tandem to make Honduran coffee ‘one to watch’.

It is only in more recent years that coffee production in Honduras has reached specialty levels comparable to other Central American countries, but specialty roasters are responding with enthusiasm. In 2017, a lot in the Cup of Excellence garnered the highest price ever paid for a Cup of Excellence coffee in any country: $124.50 per pound (approximately $56.50 per kg).

Above all, while Honduras increasingly offers high end microlots, what the country arguably represents overall is exceptional value. Quality has improved massively over the last 15 years, and in addition to unique specialty lots, the country offers very solid, clean blenders at very attractive prices.

This Fully washed lot is sourced from 25 producers who grow coffee in San Andres Lempira. San Andres Lempira is unique in Honduras for its culture of sun-drying coffee on patios. Most farmers in Honduras use mechanical dryers to dry parchment but farmers in San Andres Lempira continue to use the sun drying method to carefully and slowly dry parchment.

Producers cultivate Pacas, Catuai, Lempira and IHCAFE 90 on farms that are approximately 0.5 to 20 hectares in size. Their farms sit at 1,600 to 1,800 meters above sea level. The high altitudes create the ideal conditions for cultivating sweet, dense cherry.

Harvest & Post-Harvest

Farmers selectively handpick ripe, red cherry and process it on their farms. Since farms are small, most labor is performed by the family, but some larger farms may hire additional laborers during the harvest season.

Once harvested, cherry is pulped in hand pulpers and fermented in concrete tanks. Following fermentation, parchment is washed in clean water. Parchment is laid on patios to sundry. Farmers rake parchment frequently to ensure even drying. Producers deliver dry parchment to Bicafe’s warehouse in San Andres Lempira. Parchment is sent to Bicafe’s mill in Santa Rosa de Copan to be dry milled and prepared for export.

SHG

Strictly High Grown (SHG) specifies the altitude at which the coffee was grown. A coffee must be grown at 1,200 meters above sea level or higher to be considered SHG. The higher altitude and lower temperatures mean that the coffee fruit matures more slowly, creating a denser bean.

Small Batch Roasting: Roast For You Service – Terms & Conditions

Introduction

Small Batch Roasting now offers a service that offers personalised coffee roasting for customers who want to enjoy freshly roasted coffee tailored to their preferences. This article will discuss the Roast For You Service, its terms and conditions, and provide essential information for customers to make informed decisions when ordering.

Roast For You Service

When you choose to have your coffee roasted for you, we will roast the exact amount ordered and roast this for you to the selected roast profile you have chosen. Our small batch roasting process ensures that your coffee is roasted with care and precision, resulting in a high-quality, freshly roasted product.

Minimum Green Weight Requirement

Please be advised that the minimum green weight for roasting any one single origin is 6kg. Any orders placed with less than 6kg of each origin will be placed on hold and may cause delays in being dispatched. We will contact you to discuss how you wish to proceed in this case.

Weight Loss During Roasting

Please be mindful of the weight loss through moisture loss during roasting, which is typically between 12-20% depending on the level of roast. The darker the roast, the higher the moisture loss. This weight loss should be taken into account when ordering your coffee to ensure you receive the desired amount of roasted coffee.

Order Processing Time

Orders for roasted coffees will naturally take a little longer to process. Please allow a minimum of 3 days for your order to arrive from the point of order. If we are able to drop your order in the roasting schedule sooner, we will always endeavor to do so.

Mixed Orders

Mixed orders which include green and roasted coffees will be dispatched together when the roasted coffees are ready. We are unable to split these orders, so please consider the slightly longer delivery times when ordering mixed coffees.

Packaging

Your coffee will be bulk packed into a 6kg bulk bag with an identifying label on only. This packaging ensures that your coffee remains fresh and protected during transit.

Roast Profile and Liability

We will roast to your desired roast profile, but are unable to take any liability for any taste discrepancies that may arise from this. We are unable to take back any coffees once they have been roasted to your desired roast profile.

Yield Estimate

Typically, a medium roast coffee at 6kg green will yield 5.1kg of freshly roasted coffee. This estimate should be taken into account when ordering your coffee to ensure you receive the desired amount of roasted coffee.