Honduras Coffee: Great Honduran Coffee Straight in Your Cup

Honduras coffee comes from Central American republic where there is rich volcanic soil, decent altitude and a great climate for growing quality Arabica coffee beans. 

While all the surrounding countries (such as Nicaragua, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Guatemala) have been producing fine coffee beans for generations, Honduras has lacked good infrastructure so it has experienced a lot of difficulties in developing its own Honduran coffee exports and competing with its coffee producing neighbors.

Difficult Conditions: Blend Coffee

The difficult conditions for processing and transporting coffee often meant that the coffee could only be blended with 'better' coffee beans, and so fetching good prices in the premium markets for the best Honduran coffee beans was impossible.

Good examples abound of the problems faced by Honduras' coffee farmers: picking and processing, shipping and handling. The typical enemies of good coffee would play their part.

All coffee beans need to be dried to the correct degree, so ensuring there is the right water content left in the bean

The cherries were usually partially processed before being sold on to the mills. With tropical heat, and poor storage would result in the fermenting of the beans or even the growth of mold on the beans.

After water, heat is the biggest enemy of good coffee. So storing your coffee beans in hot warehouses or in simmering hot shipping containers only made matters worse, especially if shipments were delayed in storage or at the harbor.

Transformation Taking Place

Thanks to efforts by charitable and business friendly organizations, all these adverse conditions are now beginning to change.  Honduras coffee farmers are beginning to produce some very, very tasty coffee. 

Santa Barbara, Copan and La Paz are the main growing areas.  Infrastructure is improving and the government of Honduras is doing their best to get the country’s coffee recognized as a premium brand, or at least as well known as the coffees from its neighbors.

New storage warehouses have been built, co-ops formed to reduce expenses for individual farmers and shipping delays have been dramatically reduced.  Honduran coffee is now as good as or even better than other Central American coffees.  In fact, their coffee exports set a new record of $600 million in 2010!

Even Columbian government has been a big help in developing the Honduras coffee growing industry.  They have helped formulate plans to build and maintain infrastructure as well as given advice and education to small coffee farmers. 

Farmers are also working to get different certifications for their crops so that they can better commercialize it.  The Western part of Honduras relies heavily on coffee production for its economy. 

Many rural families farm coffee as a way to make a living and thanks to improved techniques and infrastructure some of them are beginning to realize more than just a bare-bones existence.

Varied Origins: Varied Coffee

The typical Honduras coffee (when ground) smells like peanuts and cocoa. When brewed you can detect almond, coconut, caramel and tamarind.  It tastes mild but has a crisp bittersweet nuance from nutty and chocolate flavors. 

In your mouth it feels rather buttery but not heavy or thick.  The finish is a bit dry with a slight almond flavor.

Honduran Coffee Traditions

Hondurans like to drink coffee at each meal from breakfast to dinner and also between meals.  Most of them like their coffee very, very sweet.  In fact, many visitors have said that Hondurans like a little coffee with their sugar! 

They also enjoy it 'con leche', or with plenty of milk.  Most Hondurans brew their coffee by pouring the ground coffee into boiled water, using a sock-like device to separate the grounds from the coffee. 

Honduran coffee is usually served with sweet breads or pastry.

Your Own Coffee Tradition?

While you may not like your coffee so sweet, you'll find that premium Honduran coffee is available from many popular retailers. Why not try some!

And finally...

Wherever you are, remember "Only Coffee Beans Make Great Coffee"! And enjoy that cup of coffee!

Return from Honduras Coffee to Types of Coffee Beans.

Return from Honduras Coffee to coffee beans.