How Did the Pacamara Coffee Seeds Varieties Come to Be?

Pacamara is a coffee variety bred in El Salvador by crossing Pacas with Maragogipe, combining compact, stress-resistant growth with large bean size. The cross was made in 1958 by the country's coffee research institute, ISIC, and the variety was gradually promoted from the late 1980s. Pacas itself began as a natural Bourbon mutation found in 1956 on the San Rafael farm.

In the cup, Pacamara shows a creamy mouthfeel, elegant acidity, and chocolate toffee sweetness. Botanically, the coffee tree is medium-sized with large leaves and long oval seeds. The Pacas family's link to coffee dates to the 19th century, when Jose Rosa Pacas planted Bourbon on land in the Apaneca Lamatepec range; five generations later, the family runs estates, mills, and roasting and training operations.

Pacamara is a precious variety bred by El Salvador's coffee research institute through crossing Pacas with Maragogipe, combining the dual advantages of compact, stress-resistant growth and giant bean size. The Pacas family has been deeply involved in the coffee industry since the 19th century, passing through five generations and witnessing this variety's long journey from its cultivation in 1958 to its gradual promotion in the late 1980s. This article will guide you through the discovery and breeding story of Pacamara, analyzing its flavor characteristics of creamy mouthfeel, elegant acidity, and chocolate toffee sweetness interwoven together, as well as its botanical features including medium-sized trees, large leaves, and long oval seeds, providing coffee enthusiasts with a comprehensive variety reference.

How far back can the Pacas family's connection with coffee be traced?

The promotion of the Pacamara variety is inseparable from the Pacas family's long-term dedication, and the bond between this family and coffee has endured for a considerable span of time. As early as the 19th century, an ancestor named Jose Rosa Pacas purchased land in the Apaneca Lamatepec mountain range of El Salvador and planted Bourbon coffee trees, thereby laying the foundation for the entire family's coffee enterprise. Today, the Pacas family has reached its fifth generation, and the business continues to expand.

From seed selection and cultivation to the final cup, the Pacas family has built a complete industry chain covering coffee estates, processing facilities, export trading companies, roasting factories, barista training institutions, and retail stores. The coffee they produce represents El Salvador's top standard and is exported worldwide.

How was the Pacas variety discovered?

In 1956, Fernando Alberto Pacas of El Salvador discovered the Pacas variety and subsequently introduced it to the Pacas family's San Rafael farm. He noticed that this variety was markedly different from the other coffee trees around it.

How was Pacamara created?

In 1958, El Salvador's coffee research institute ISIC crossed Pacas with Maragogipe, successfully breeding Pacamara.

Pacas originated from a natural mutation of Bourbon, and researchers at the University of Florida conducted in-depth studies on it. This variety has a small tree stature with compact internode spacing, causing the leaves to be densely arranged, which helps resist adverse conditions such as strong winds, intense sunlight, and heavy rain. Additionally, it possesses strong disease resistance, adapts well to various growing environments, and has considerable yield.

Maragogipe, on the other hand, is a natural mutation of Typica, with an extremely tall tree and astonishingly large fruit and seed sizes. Although its yield is relatively low, its flavor performance is quite outstanding.

The original intention behind breeding Pacamara was precisely to combine the strengths of the above two varieties into one, and its name was created by combining the first halves of the English names of Pacas and Maragogipe.

The development of this variety took approximately thirty years of scientific effort, and it was not until the late 1980s that farmers began to have the opportunity to cultivate Pacamara.

What makes Pacamara's flavor unique?

Pacamara possesses a rich and intense aroma with layers, a medium-to-full body, and a creamy texture. Its acidity is elegant, accompanied by the sweetness of chocolate and toffee, then transitioning to flavor notes of citrus, red berries, and stone fruits.

In terms of the plant, Pacamara is a medium-sized tree with relatively thick leaves, short internodes, and large leaf area. The fruit is elongated with small protrusions on the surface, and the seeds are large and oval-shaped.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.