Introduction to Guatemala La Leticia Estate Washed Specialty Coffee Beans: Varieties, Cultivation, and Market Prices

Coffee Information

Varieties: Bourbon, Caturra

Processing mill: Finca La Tina

Coffee was truly introduced to Guatemala in 1750 by Jesuit priests, and German colonists built up the coffee industry here in the late 19th century. Most production today is concentrated in the south of the country. Guatemala has seven main coffee-producing regions - Antigua, Coban, Atitlan, Huehuetenango, Fraijanes, Oriente and San Marcos - and because each of them varies in climate, the beans from each region develop their own characteristics. As a general rule, Guatemalan coffee offers a gentle yet rich overall texture, elegant aromas and a warm, pleasant acidity close to that of fruit, which has earned it a reputation as the nobility among coffees.

Flavor notes: Black tea, floral notes, a rich caramel sensation

Manufacturer: FrontStreet Coffee
Ingredients: House-roasted
Shelf life: 90 days
Net weight: 227 g
Packaging: Bulk
Taste profile: Aromatic and mellow
Bean state: Roasted coffee beans
Sugar content: Sugar-free
Origin: Guatemala
Coffee type: Other
Roast level: Medium roast

Guatemala Finca Las Delicias

Country: Guatemala

Grade: SHB

Region: Fraijanes, Guatemala City

Altitude: 1,675 meters

Harvest period: October to February of the following year

Processing method: Washed

Volcanic soil, high altitude, a damp and rainy climate and ongoing volcanic activity have combined to create the special geographical conditions of the Fraijanes plateau. The Pacaya volcano inside this area is the most active of Guatemala's three still-erupting volcanoes, often laying a thin coat of ash over the Fraijanes plateau and supplying abundant minerals to the soil. The drying period for the coffee beans lines up with the season when the Fraijanes plateau receives ample sunlight. Mornings are frequently cloudy and foggy, but the fog lifts quickly, which keeps conditions excellent for sun-drying.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Washed coffee from Guatemala is gentle and sweet with a floral lift, and FrontStreet's washed range lets you follow that thread to other origins. FrontStreet Kenya Little Tomato is the most striking example of the style at full volume, since Kenya has mastered double washing. Washing and soaking the beans again and again concentrates the juice-like quality into sun-dried tomato, smoked plum, pear, black plum and yellow sugar, with a bright acidity that still feels clean on the finish.

At the other end of the spectrum is FrontStreet Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1, a coffee built entirely on balance. Its washed process removes skin, pulp and mucilage before drying, which shortens drying time and leaves bright, low-defect beans. In the cup it is hazelnut, cream, chocolate and caramel, with no single note standing out or falling short - the same even, aristocratic character that gives Guatemalan coffee its reputation.

For the floral and tea-like side of washed coffee, FrontStreet Yirgacheffe Gerdin Cooperative is a washed Ethiopian heirloom from Gerdin village. Medium-light roasted, it leads with jasmine florals and bright citrus acidity, then settles into green tea and honey. Pour-over, cold brew and espresso all suit it.