La Patrona Estate Single Origin Coffee Flavor Description, Brewing Suggestions, Estate Introduction, and Cultivation History Information

Coffee first reached Guatemala in 1750, brought by Jesuit priests, and German colonists built up the local industry in the late 19th century. Today most of the country's coffee grows in the south. Guatemala counts seven main producing regions — Antigua, Coban, Atitlan, Huehuetenango, Fraijanes, Oriente and San Marcos — and because each has its own climate, the beans carry distinctly different characters. Across the board, though, Guatemalan coffee is mild and mellow, elegantly aromatic, with a warm, pleasant fruit-like acidity. It is, quite rightly, called the aristocrat of coffees.

Flavor Profile

Black tea, floral notes, rich caramel sensation

Fraijanes Plateau Region

Volcanic soil, high altitude, a humid, rainy climate and active volcanism together created the unusual geography of the Fraijanes Plateau. The Pacaya volcano here is the most active of Guatemala's three still-erupting peaks, frequently draping the plateau in a fine layer of ash and feeding the soil a steady supply of minerals. The bean-drying season happens to fall in the plateau's sunniest stretch. Mornings are often cloudy and fogged in, but the mist clears quickly, giving the region excellent sun exposure.

Coffee growing at Finca Las Delicias on the Fraijanes Plateau began in 1920. The farm cultivates a fairly wide range of varieties, including Bourbon, Caturra and Pacamara. Of the 205-acre property (1 acre = 4,046.8 square meters), 173 acres are planted with coffee, while the remaining 32 acres of native forest shelter local wildlife. Several natural springs on the farm supply the plantations with ample, high-quality irrigation through the dry season, and they also power the mill's washing operations.

Brewing Method

Hand-pour Guatemala Las Delicias. Use 15 g of coffee, medium grind (Fuji ghost-tooth grinder setting #4), a V60 dripper, water at 88-89°C. First pour 30 g of water for a 27-second bloom, then pour to 105 g and pause. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to half before pouring again, then pour slowly to a total of 225 g. Stop before the tail end. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:00.

Coffee Varieties

Bourbon coffee (French: Café Bourbon) comes from Arabica trees of the Bourbon cultivar. It was first cultivated on Réunion Island, known as Bourbon Island (Île Bourbon) before 1789. France later used the island as a bridge between Africa and Latin America, and Bourbon is now one of the two most widely planted Arabica lines in the world. It is typically grown at altitudes of 3,500 to 6,500 feet (1,062-1,972 meters).

Caturra: a single-gene mutation of Bourbon, discovered in Brazil in the 1950s. It out-produces Bourbon and resists disease better, with comparable flavor quality. It suits cultivation at 700-1,700 meters and adapts to a broad range of altitudes, though yields fall off relatively at the higher end.

Coffee Grading System

Coffee grading is not standardized worldwide. Each producing country runs its own system with its own names, so packaging may show terms such as "SHB," "AA+," "Supremo," "Extra-Fancy" or "Peaberry/Small Cherry" — all of them grading labels. Roasted single-origin beans sold on the market sometimes carry a grade too. Generally the more detailed the grading information, the better the coffee, although most commercial coffees display none of it.

Product Information

Manufacturer: FrontStreet Coffee
Ingredients: House-roasted
Shelf Life: 90 days
Net Weight: 227g
Packaging: Bulk
Taste: Mellow and aromatic
Coffee Bean State: Roasted beans
Contains Sugar: Sugar-free
Origin: Guatemala
Coffee Type: Other
Roast Level: 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 Las Delicias

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

The floral-and-caramel thread in this Guatemalan cup points straight toward FrontStreet Boquete Geisha. It carries the classic Panamanian Geisha profile — a white coffee-blossom aroma, the signature "orange-blossom honey" character, and a juicy citrus, melon and honey sweetness that settles into caramel. It makes a forgiving pour-over too, whether you drink it hot or over ice. The flavors are layered and fine rather than loud, so serve it in a small cup and let it cool a little; the fragrance opens up as the temperature drops.