El Salvador San Joaquin
The Pacas family calls San Joaquin "the farm of the morning sun" for good reason. Located at 1,700 meters above sea level in El Salvador's Apaneca-Ilamatepec Mountain Range, the farm only receives direct sunlight from sunrise to noon. Those cooler, shadier afternoons create ideal conditions for slowly ripening cherry with intense sugar concentration—exactly what makes this natural process coffee so distinctive.
The Pacas family has been growing coffee on this land since 1905, when Petrona Palacias de Diaz purchased the farm and named it after Saint Joaquin. Five generations later, the family continues producing exceptional coffee while protecting a conserved cypress forest at the farm's highest elevation. This forest provides habitat for endangered species and demonstrates their commitment to both quality and environmental stewardship.
For this lot, cherry is hand-picked at peak ripeness and delivered to the family's centralized mill, Beneficio Vivagua. The natural process begins with cherry laid in extremely thin layers on drying patios, raked frequently to ensure even drying. As coffee dries over 10-15 days, the layers are gradually thickened to slow the process. This meticulous approach develops the complex fruit notes and full body that make naturally processed Bourbon so compelling.
The Pacas family's influence on specialty coffee extends beyond their own farms. In the 1950s, Fernando Alberto Pacas discovered a natural mutation of Bourbon on the family's San Rafael farm—a compact-growing plant that became the now widely-cultivated Pacas variety. Today, the family operates multiple farms across the Apaneca-Ilamatepec range while supporting educational programs and social initiatives in their community.
Farm: San Joaquin
Region: Apaneca-Ilamatepec Mountain Range
Altitude: 1700 MASL
Variety: Bourbon
Processing Method: Natural
Tasting Notes
Black Currant, Mulled Wine, and Dark Chocolate
Roast Level
Light
Body
Acidity
Subscribe & Save
Our subscriptions are highly customizable, easy to manage, and can be cancelled at any time.
Select "Subscribe & Save" and then choose the frequency that you want to get fresh roasted coffee and syrups to your door.
Orders are auto-generated and shipped to you fresh-roasted by our coffee team.
Each completed subscription order gives you money back that you can spend on future subscription orders.
Orders 1-9*: Earn 2% back
Orders 10+: Earn 4% back
CUPS PER BAG SIZE
Freshness Tip: Choose the size that you'll drink within 3 to 4 weeks
12 ounces
~18 cups
5 pounds
~121 cups
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Your coffee ships fresh. We roast throughout the week and pack orders as they come in to ensure you're getting beans at their peak.
- Orders placed Monday–Thursday before 2pm CST ship the next business day.
- Orders placed Monday–Thursday after 2pm CST ship within two business days.
- Orders placed Friday–Sunday are packed on Monday and ship within 1-2 business days.
During holidays and promotional periods, please allow 2-3 additional business days for processing and shipping.
-
We offer four grind options to match how you're brewing:
- Drip / Pour-Over — Works for automatic drip machines, pour-over brewers (V60, Kalita, Chemex), and AeroPress. This is the most versatile grind and covers most home brewing methods.
- Fine (Espresso) — Ground specifically for espresso machines. It's very fine, which means it'll over-extract and taste bitter or chalky if you use it in drip or pour-over methods. Only use this if you're pulling shots.
- French Press — Coarser grind for traditional French Press brewing, cold brew, or large-batch Chemex (60+ grams of coffee). The larger grind size prevents over-extraction during longer steep times.
- Cold Brew — Coarse grind optimized for cold brew methods with extended steeping (12-24 hours). Similar to French Press but dialed in for cold water extraction.
Not sure? Drip / Pour-Over is your safest bet if you're brewing with anything other than an espresso machine or doing cold brew.
- Drip / Pour-Over — Works for automatic drip machines, pour-over brewers (V60, Kalita, Chemex), and AeroPress. This is the most versatile grind and covers most home brewing methods.
-
Coffee brewing sits somewhere between science and personal preference. There's no single "right" way, just the way that works for you.
We've put together brew guides for:- Chemex
- Kalita Wave 185
- French Press
- Auto-Drip Brewer
- Cold Brew
- Single-Serve
Visit our brewing page here.
Each guide covers ratios, grind size, and timing. These technical foundations help you dial in your perfect coffee. From there, it's yours to adjust. A little more coffee for boldness, a slightly coarser grind for clarity, water temperature shifts for sweetness or brightness. The variables matter, but so does what you actually enjoy drinking.
Start with a guide that matches your equipment, brew a few rounds, and notice what changes when you tweak one thing at a time. That's how you find your version.
-
We offer signature and single-origin coffees that range from light to dark roast, each crafted to highlight different flavor profiles and brewing methods.
- 12South — Our most versatile medium roast. Works beautifully as drip, cold brew, or espresso.
- Brunch — A vibrant light roast breakfast blend. Perfect for pour-over or drip.
- Brute — Bold, creamy, and comforting. A darker roast best brewed in a French press.
- Howler — Our espresso blend. Medium roast that shines in milk drinks but stands strong on its own.
- Eventide Decaf — Full-bodied, dark-roasted decaf. Naturally processed using a chemical-free method. Perfect for evenings.
- Midshift Half Caff — Half the caffeine, full flavor. Balanced medium roast that works any time of day.
- Frothy Cold Brew — Developed for cold extraction but versatile across methods. Naturally sweet.
- Single-Origin Coffees - Our rotating selection showcases beans from specific farms and regions. Selections change seasonally based on harvest and availability.
- 12South — Our most versatile medium roast. Works beautifully as drip, cold brew, or espresso.