Rolando Ramirez Smith - Finca Montes Urales

About the Coffee

Rolando Ramirez Smith grows coffee at Finca Montes Urales in the Apaneca-Ilamatepec region of Ahuachapan, El Salvador, one of the country's most established coffee-growing areas sitting between 1,200 and 2,000 meters. The farm produces two varieties, Pacas and Anacafe 14. Pacas is a natural mutation of Bourbon that took root in El Salvador in the 1950s, known for adapting well to the country's climate. Anacafe 14 was developed in Guatemala specifically for disease resistance and consistent yields.

This coffee is processed using the washed method, which means the fruit is removed from the seed before drying. This gives the roaster a clearer look at what the coffee tastes like on its own terms, with the farm's soil, altitude, and growing conditions doing most of the talking. Washed coffees from this region tend to be clean and consistent, which makes them easy to dial in at home whether you're using a drip machine or a pour over.

About Pallet Coffee Roasters

Pallet Coffee Roasters opened in East Vancouver in late 2014 with the goal of making specialty coffee more accessible.

Their sourcing is built on long-term, direct relationships with farmers and producers. Rather than chasing new lots each harvest, they return to the same partners season after season. That continuity gives them more visibility into how the coffee is grown and processed, and gives producers a more reliable buyer.

"I stumbled on Pallet's Semlin Drive location while wandering around Vancouver nearly a decade ago, and since then, they've become a major player in Vancouver's coffee scene. Like a lot of roasters we feature, Pallet's strength is roasting coffees brilliantly across the spectrum - whether you're into darker coffees, brighter coffees, or something in between."

- Dean, Director of Coffee