El Salvador Coffee: A Complete Guide

El Salvador is the smallest country in Central America, but it’s famous around the world for its coffee. Take a tour of this beautiful bed of volcanic activity and learn everything you need to know (and probably more) about El Salvador coffee.

Table of contents:

• El Salvador coffee: Fast facts and flavor notes
• Coffee-growing regions of El Salvador
• El Salvador’s coffee history
• Politics and paychecks: El Salvador’s current relationship with coffee
• How to support the coffee growers of El Salvador

El Salvador coffee: Fast facts and flavor notes

Coffee-growing regions of El Salvador

The Instituto Salvadoreño del Café has identified seven coffee-growing regions in El Salvador.

1. Apaneca-Ilamatepec

El Salvador’s most famous coffee region is the Apaneca-Ilamatepec. Coffees from this region are often noted for bright, complex fruit flavors and smooth finish, thanks to its unique microclimate and volcanic soil.

The Apaneca-Ilamatepec Biosphere Reserve protects a wide variety of ecosystems and the species that call them home—including 12 endangered flora and another dozen species of endemic animals. It’s part of the Central American Volcanic Arc, with high altitudes that range from 1,200 to 1,800 meters above sea level.

Over 97,000 acres of the Apaneca-Ilamatepec are reserved for shade-grown coffee plantations, which also serve an important role in the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor. The coffee grown here is certified traditional and organic.

2. Alotepec-Metapán

Located in the northwest part of El Salvador, the Alotepec-Metapán is part of the Apaneca-Ilamatepec region. The sub-region’s coffee is generally known for a more balanced flavor profile, with a good mix of acidity and sweetness.

First and second-place winners (and fourth … and fifth) in El Salvador’s 2023 Cup of Excellence competition came from the Alotepec-Metapán region.

The Alotepec-Metapán region gets more rainfall than most areas of El Salvador. Added moisture and humidity introduces new challenges to farming, but can also increase the size and impact the density of coffee beans—balancing their overall flavors.

3. El Bálsamo-Quezaltepec

El Bálsamo-Quezaltepec region, also known as the Cordillera del Bálsamo, stretches along the southern edge of El Salvador. Coffee from this region is generally described as well-rounded, full-flavored, and versatile.

The Bálsamo-Quezaltepec area is named partly for the balsam trees that grow abundantly in the area, and partially for the Quetazlcotián people who once lived here. Those balsam trees can grow to 100 feet tall, providing a dense shade canopy for coffee plantations.

This region is still mountainous, with altitudes ranging from 500 to 1,800 meters.

4. Tecapa-Chinameca

Tecapa-Chinameca region of El Salvador is located in the eastern part of the country. Coffee from the Tecapa-Chinameca is known for more earthy flavor notes like chocolate and brown sugar.

This region of El Salvador is framed by active volcanos and features the beautiful, turquoise Laguna de Alegría. In 2023, the region was nominated to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN as a candidate for investment aimed at improving coffee production in the area—to benefit farmers, the environment, and the local economy as a whole.

5. Chichontepec

The Chichontepec is a stratovolcano in south-central El Salvador, near the town of St. Vincent. Coffee grown on the rich slopes of the country’s second highest volcano are bright and medium-bodied, like most El Salvador coffee, but are often noted for floral, caramel, and/or citrus undertones.

In the native language, Nahaut, “chichontepec” means “the mountain of two breasts”—so named for its twin peaks.

6. Cacahuatique

The Cacahuatique Mountains lie in the north-eastern part of El Salvador. The region has a history of cocoa farming and many beans from the area are characterized by their chocolate notes, in addition to citrus and nuts.

In the indigenous language, “cacahautique” translates to “hill of cacao.” A relative newcomer, coffee was introduced to the region in the late 19th century.

7. Nahuaterique Mountain Range

The Nahuaterique Mountain Range spans El Salvador’s northern border with Honduras. Coffee from this area often features a distinct sweetness and fruity or floral notes.

Despite its potential, the coffee industry isn’t exactly thriving in this area due to border disputes that stretch back to the 1960s. The land is dotted by evergreen forests and maize fields.

El Salvador’s coffee history

Coffee has a rich history in El Salvador, deeply intertwined with the country’s economic and social development.

Early Beginnings

Coffee was introduced to El Salvador in the early 1800s, but it didn’t really take off until the 1850s. The Salvadoran government encouraged coffee cultivation by offering incentives like tax breaks and land grants. By the late 19th century, coffee surpassed indigo as the country’s leading export crop.

The Golden Age of El Salvador Coffee

The late 19th and early 20th centuries marked a veritable golden age for coffee in El Salvador. Coffee exports brought big money to the country, leading to the establishment of powerful coffee empires.

“Fincas”—large coffee estates—were established, and coffee became the foundation of El Salvador’s economy. The wealth generated by coffee exports enabled infrastructure development, including railways and ports.

Coffee’s success also carried negative social implications. The concentration of land and wealth in the hands of a few families created a highly stratified society … as it tends to. Lower-class and indigenous people often worked coffee plantations under harsh conditions, leading to social tensions and unrest.

Civil War and Decline

What happens to a dream deferred? … The late 20th century exploded in El Salvador, and created some turbulent times for its coffee industry.

The civil war (1980-1992) had devastating effects on coffee production. Many farms were abandoned or destroyed, and the country’s infrastructure broke down significantly. The post-war period suffered a continued decline in coffee production, as farmers struggled to rebuild and compete in a global market.

Politics and paychecks: El Salvador’s current relationship with coffee

In recent years, El Salvador’s coffee industry has enjoyed something of a revival, driven by a global demand for specialty coffee. Farmers have increasingly focused on quality, adopting sustainable farming practices and investing in high-quality beans.

Regions like Apaneca-Ilamatepec, Alotepec-Metapán, and El Bálsamo-Quezaltepec have become renowned across the world for their exceptional coffee.

Current challenges

The coffee industry in El Salvador faces several challenges:

• Climate Change: Increasing temperatures and unpredictable weather patterns naturally affect crop yields and consistency.
• Coffee Leaf Rust: This is a fungal disease that ruins coffee plants. It was previously only in the Eastern hemisphere, but around 2020 it found its way across the Atlantic.
• Economic Viability: Lower international coffee prices and rising production costs make it difficult for small farmers to keep up.

Coffee politics in El Salvador

El Salvador’s government has been working on projects to support coffee farmers since at least 2022, including providing technical assistance, improving infrastructure, and promoting sustainable farming practices.

According to World Coffee Research:

In 2021, the government of El Salvador initiated an ambitious and ongoing project estimated at $377 million to renovate approximately 35,000 hectares of land with more than 150 million new coffee trees in order to revitalize the country’s coffee sector.

The country’s Ministry of Agriculture aims to:

• Provide 24 million rust-resistant plants by 2027
• Support coffee-under-shade agroforestry systems for 7,500 coffee producers
• Grant business and marketing incentives for 40 coffee coops and 70 entrepreneurships

How to support the coffee growers of El Salvador

Buy El Salvador coffee! If you like a medium roast coffee, there’s definitely a region/blend/grower for you.

Not sure where to start? The #1 Cup of Excellence from El Salvador went to Norelvia Angelica Elias de Diaz, who runs the Mileydi coffee farm. Google it. You’ll find several brands offering her beans.

Other tips for choosing a good El Salvador coffee:

• Single source: Look for product pages and coffee bags marked, “Single Source.” This means the beans are all from one farm—not a blend of various flavors from different regions.
• Certified Organic: Avoiding chemical fertilizers and pesticides isn’t just good for you—it’s good for soil, flora and fauna, and coffee growers. Most El Salvador coffee is organic, but look for the USDA logo.
• Fair Trade Certified: The coffee industry in some areas is notoriously cruel to farmers. Earning this green and black icon requires producers to meet a high bar concerning how they treat people.
• Rainforest Alliance Certified Coffee: This little green frog on the bag means the farm has met some strict standards for sustainability.

Beware the brands will sometimes make claims on their websites that are impossible to verify, except for these certifications. Anyone can say that they partner closely with farmers and pay them well, but without the Fair Trade Certified logo … it might just be good marketing.