La Ilusion, El Salvador

For the second year in a row we’re being coffee from the wet mill Las Cruces, this time from the producer Jose Antonio Salaverria. Situated in the Apaneca Ilamatepec region of Santa Ana, known for its sweet and delicate coffees, we find the farm La Ilusion. The regions characteristic soil, weather conditions, varietals and altitude are all masterfully orchestrated to make the uniqueness that is the La Ilusion cup of coffee. 

Using new, innovative ways of processing the coffee is producer Jose Antonio Salaverrias trademark. The cherries are picked by well-educated pickers, selecting only the ripe cherries. In the afternoon the cherries are brought to the wet mill Las Cruces, owned by the Salaverrias family, to be processed. Here they use modern Jotagallo eco-pulpers with mechanical demucilager to remove the skin, pulp and most of the mucilage. The parchment is then soaked over-night and is then finally washed which gives the coffee a longer cell life and more mature character. The parchment is bright and clean with no residual mucilage. The coffee is sun dried on clay patio for 8-12 days and is piled up and covered in plastic during the hours with the strongest sunlight as well as during the night.

Together with his sons, Jose Antonio Salaverria creates an excellent cup in which his  knowledge and innovative really shine through in the production at  their farm La Ilusion and the careful processing at Las Cruces.