January's Coffee of the Month: El Salvador Altamira

We have chosen our El Salvador Altamira as January's coffee of the month in response to the recent Chaparrastique volcano eruption. On December 29th, the volcano, located in the central-eastern part of the country near San Miguel, began to erupt for the first time since 1976.  As of January 4, it is now lofting smoke and ash three miles into the sky and has forced evacuations to nearby residents.  More eruptions, including lava flow, are possible.

Coffee has long been a chief export of El Salvador.  At one point in the late 1970's, coffee production was responsible for 50% of the country's growth domestic product.  Our El Salvador Altamira comes from the region of Sonsonate ("place of many waters"), which is a largely agricultural area with rich volcanic soil once known for its chocolate production. Coffee beans from this area have earned the SHG (strictly high grown) designation, with farms being at least 4,000 feet above sea level. This Rainforest Alliance-certified coffee produces a round, full-bodied cup with mild to medium acidity and sweetness.

El Salvador Altamira will be available throughout the month of January on our coffee page as well as at both our 25 Jay St and 200 Flushing Av locations. We'll be donating $.50 per lb this month to relief efforts. You can help out by donating to FINCA, a global charitable microfinance organization serves clients throughout all 14 of El Salvador‘s provinces.