El Salvador El Cerro Espresso

Washed coffees from El Salvador often work exceptionally well as espresso, and this coffee from El Cerro is a perfect example. It has a gentle acidity, beautifully balanced by sweet, chocolatey notes.

The washed process involves removing the coffee cherry’s fruit pulp before drying. Salvadoran coffees are often naturally sweet, with flavours reminiscent of caramel, milk chocolate, brown sugar and ripe stone fruit. Under the pressure of espresso brewing, these flavours become rich and syrupy. The acidity adds freshness without making the coffee taste sharp, resulting in a beautifully balanced espresso. Expect a clean, sweet and balanced cup with notes of chocolate, caramel, citrus, red apple or stone fruit—complex enough to be interesting, yet easy to enjoy as an everyday espresso.

Finca El Cerro represents five generations of coffee producers—coffee has been at the heart of the family's life for more than 150 years. Eight years ago, Fernando took over the responsibility for the farm. Since then, he has carried on his family's long coffee tradition while continuously improving quality and refining both the cultivation practices and processing methods.

Fernando's ambition has always been to increase both the quality and the value of the coffees produced at Finca El Cerro. For him, it is not only about creating a sustainable livelihood for his own family and the many permanent and seasonal workers who depend on the farm, but also about carrying his family's legacy forward for future generations.

Café y Salud - a health project at Finca El Cerro

At Finca El Cerro in the Apaneca-Lamatepec region of El Salvador, Fernando Escobar leads the Café y Salud project. Café y SaludThe project was launched ahead of the 2019 harvest with the aim of improving the health and quality of life of the farm's permanent employees and their families through preventive healthcare and regular medical check-ups.

The project is funded through an additional contribution from those of us who purchase this coffee. For every kilogram sold, a premium is set aside and reinvested directly into the Café y Salud program, benefiting the farm's employees and their families.

In its first phase, the initiative supports the farm's eight permanent employees and their families. Through the program, they are able to visit a doctor at least twice a year for regular health check-ups and preventive care. A particular focus is placed on preventing gastrointestinal illnesses—often linked to unsafe drinking water—and addressing nutritional deficiencies through improved access to medical advice and healthcare.

At Gringo, great coffee is about the people behind it. That's why we value producers like Fernando Escobar, who invest in the long-term health, well-being, and future of the people who make their coffees possible.