The Origin of Guatemala La Tisha Coffee and How Guatemala Coffee Beans Are Graded

Coffee was truly introduced to Guatemala in 1750 by Jesuit priests, and German colonizers developed the region's coffee industry in the late 19th century. Today, most coffee production takes place in the southern part of the country. Guatemala has seven main coffee-producing regions: Antigua, Cobán, Lake Atitlán, Huehuetenango, Fraijanes, Oriente, and San Marcos. Each region has its own climate variations, so the beans from each possess their own unique character. Generally speaking, Guatemalan coffee presents a gentle, mellow overall texture with an elegant aroma and a pleasant, fruit-like acidity, which is why it is truly regarded as the aristocrat among coffees.

Flavor Profile

Black tea, floral notes, rich caramel sensation.

Fraijanes Region

Volcanic soil, high altitude, a humid and rainy climate, and active volcanic activity have created the unique geographical conditions of the Fraijanes plateau. The Pacaya volcano within this area is the most active of Guatemala's three still-erupting volcanoes, often leaving Fraijanes shrouded in a thin layer of ash and supplying abundant minerals to the soil. The coffee bean drying period happens to coincide with the season when Fraijanes receives abundant sunshine. Although mornings are often cloudy and foggy, the fog dissipates quickly, ensuring excellent sun exposure for the region.

Finca La Delicia

Coffee cultivation at Finca La Delicia on the Fraijanes plateau began in 1920. The estate grows diverse varieties including Bourbon, Caturra, and Pacamara. Of the total 205-acre farm (1 acre = 4,046.8 square meters), 173 acres are dedicated to coffee cultivation, while the remaining 32 acres of native forest serve as habitat for various local wildlife species. The farm has several natural springs that provide sufficient, high-quality irrigation for the coffee plantations during the dry season, and they also serve as the power source for the coffee processing plant (water for washed processing).

Coffee Varieties

Bourbon coffee (French: Café Bourbon) is coffee produced from Arabica coffee trees of the Bourbon cultivar. Bourbon coffee was originally cultivated on Réunion Island, which was known as Île Bourbon before 1789. It was later spread by France to connect with the African continent and Latin America, and it is now one of the two most popular Arabica coffee production regions in the world. Bourbon coffee is typically grown at altitudes of 3,500 to 6,500 feet (1,062-1,972 meters).

Caturra: a single-gene variant of Bourbon, discovered in Brazil in the 1950s. It has higher yield capacity and disease resistance than Bourbon, with comparable flavor quality. It is suitable for cultivation at 700-1,700 meters, with strong altitude adaptability, though yields decrease at higher altitudes.

Coffee Grading Systems

Coffee grading systems around the world are not unified. Each coffee-producing country has its own grading system and grading names. That is why you might see the following terms on coffee packaging: "SHB," "AA+," "Supremo," "Extra-Fancy," "Peaberry/Small beans," and so on. These are coffee bean grading names. Commercially sold roasted beans sometimes indicate the grade of a single-origin coffee. The more detailed the coffee grading information, usually the better the quality of the coffee. However, most general coffees do not display this information.

Brewing Method

Hand-pour Guatemala La Delicia. 15g of coffee grounds, medium grind (Fuji Royal's ceramic burr grinder, setting 4), V60 dripper, water temperature 88-89°C. First pour with 30g of water for a 27-second bloom, then pour to 105g and pause. Wait until the water level drops to half, then continue pouring slowly until reaching 225g in total. Avoid the tail section. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, total extraction time 2:00.

Product Information

Manufacturer: FrontStreet Coffee
Ingredients: In-house roasted
Shelf life: 90 days
Net weight: 227g
Packaging: Bulk
Taste: Aromatic coffee beans
Roast level: Roasted beans
Sugar content: Sugar-free
Origin: Guatemala
Coffee type: Other
Roast degree: Medium roast

Coffee Details

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
Varieties: Bourbon, Caturra
Processing Plant: Finca La Delicias

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

This Fraijanes lot shows the elegant side of Guatemala: black tea, florals, and a deep caramel sweetness. If that floral profile is what you chase, FrontStreet Coffee has plenty to offer. The FrontStreet Gotiti Cooperative coffee is a classic washed Yirgacheffe, prized for its white-floral sweetness and bright citrus acidity, with a jasmine-like perfume and a green-tea finish; a pour-over brings out its clear floral-fruity lift, lemon acidity, and honeyed sweetness. The FrontStreet Sun-Dried Huakui leans into creamy strawberry, with silky entry, orange blossom, and juicy guava and mango. For something fuller, the FrontStreet Strawberry Candy Geisha blend combines Costa Rican honey-process coffee with Panamanian washed Geisha, gathering raisin, sweet orange, and ripe blueberry alongside a rose-like aroma and a faint almond finish. And the FrontStreet Mozart, a raisin-honey Costa Rican lot, offers dried fruit, ripe pineapple, and sweet orange with a captivating osmanthus note.