This is our second year buying from Finca Talquezalar, a medium sized farm in the northern department of Chalatenango, El Salvador. Irene Gonzales de Rodriguez and her late husband, Alfonso, have been producing some of the best coffees in the region for many years. After Alfonso passed away in 2020, Irene took over operation of the farm with the support of her two daughters, Tamara and Paola. She credits Alfonso and her own passion for great coffee as motivation to continue the farm’s legacy as a leading producer in the region.

Situated at approximately 1300 meters above sea level, Finca Talquezalar grows just two varietals of coffee – Pacas and Pacamara. Both are famous to El Salvador and are partly responsible for the cup characteristics found there – heavy bodied, sweet cups with brown sugar, chocolate, and raisin notes. Another significant boost for Talquezalar’s quality is the drying methods used on the farm – a combination of patios and raised beds for the higher quality lots, which allows a slower and more controlled drying period, contributing to both quality and longevity of the green coffee.

Another oft-overlooked aspect of great coffee is the welfare and expertise of the workers who pick and process the coffee, and this is yet another area where Irene and her family go the extra mile. By providing good quality accommodation and competitive wages, Talquezalar attracts and retains a skilled labour force which has become increasingly scarce in El Salvador over the past decade. Not only do trained and motivated farm workers contribute massively to coffee quality, but if farms provide well paid employment, the surrounding community can benefit from the farm’s success as well.

  Caravan Coffee Roasters are proud members of 1% for the Planet. For more information please visit https://www.onepercentfortheplanet.org

BREWING GUIDE 

Salvadoran coffees make great all-day drinking, with mellow acidity and more pronounced brown sugar and chocolate notes. We suggest a starting recipe of 60g of fresh ground coffee to 1 litre of filtered water, adjusted for size.

For more brewing tips and tricks, visit our Brew Guides.