Los Pirineos Berlin, Usulutan EL SALVADOR

Producer: Gilberto Baraona

Altitude: 1550 masl

Variety: Pacamara

Process: Honey

Tasting notes: Caramel, blackcurrant, violet, tropical fruit

During our coffee visits, we made our way to Usulután. We discovered Los Pirineos, located at the top of the Tepeca volcano. This renowned farm is owned by Gilberto Baraona, affectionately known as the “King of Pacamara.”

The farm lies on a volcanic mountain range surrounded by the towns of Berlin, Santiago de Maria, and Joy.   According to the family, coffee cultivation at Los Pirineos began in 1890. The original seeds and mother plants of the estate were imported from Antigua Guatemala.

Coffee is classified into small and medium-sized lots based on the different sections of the farm and the coffee varieties grown there. Today, the farm cultivates Bourbon Elite, Pacas, and Pacamara varieties, and has also participated in a Procafe project to grow different varieties.  As a result, there are plots dedicated to native coffee trees, natural mutants, and hybrids from around the world.

Los Pirineos was one of the pioneers in El Salvador to build its own micro coffee mill. Gilberto still continues to experiment with processing and drying methods. During the harvest, well-trained pickers are given strong incentives to select only ripe cherries.

Mechanical Jotagallo eco-pulping machines are used to remove the skin and approximately 70% of the mucilage.  The parchment is soaked overnight in clean water before being washed. The coffee is then dried on raised beds under shade for 3–4 weeks.

For more than a century, coffee production has fueled El Salvador’s economy and shaped the nation’s history.  Traditionally, coffee has accounted for more than 50% of El Salvador's export revenues. The region consistently produces outstanding coffees to high standards.

The main coffee-growing areas in El Salvador include the Apaneca–Ilamatepec mountain range, the Central Belt, Chichontepec, the Cacahuatique mountain range, and the Tecapa–Chichontepec mountain range.