The Story and Planting History of Guatemalan Coffee Beans - How Much Does a Cup of Guatemalan Coffee Cost?

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01 | Guatemala Coffee Bean Cultivation History

Guatemala Coffee Bean Cultivation Altitude

Guatemala coffee beans grow in high-altitude cloud zones with significant temperature differences between morning and evening. Such climatic conditions prevent coffee from growing too quickly (because rapid coffee growth results in softer beans with milder flavors), combined with fertile volcanic soil, making Guatemala's coffee cultivation conditions the most ideal among Central American countries.

Unlike coffee beans from other Central American countries that have cleaner, fresher flavors, Guatemala coffee beans exhibit more varied styles depending on their origin altitude. The capital Antigua and the northwestern Huehuetenango highlands form two major producing regions that completely shape people's impression of Guatemala coffee beans. Antigua coffee has better richness and subtle smoky flavors, while Huehuetenango highlands are characterized by delicate citrus acidity.

The Chinese translation of "Huehuetenango Highlands" carries a distinctive charm. Located in northwestern Guatemala, the highlands have fertile soil and abundant rainfall. The unique circular valley terrain creates cloud zones, representing the best coffee-growing environment bestowed by nature. Therefore, the Huehuetenango Highlands are world-renowned for producing exceptional quality coffee. Most winning coffee beans in Guatemala's annual coffee competitions come from the Huehuetenango Highlands, receiving excellent international reviews.

Guatemala Coffee Bean Cultivation Varieties

Over the past century, coffee has saved Guatemala's economy. It is estimated that there are currently about 125,000 producers locally, making coffee the main export item, accounting for 40% of exported agricultural products. Among 22 provinces, as many as 20 are engaged in coffee cultivation, with almost all regions growing coffee beans. 98% are shade-grown, dominated almost exclusively by Arabica beans. Main sub-varieties include Bourbon, Typica, Caturra, Catuai, Pache, and Pacamara.

02 | Guatemala Coffee Bean Processing Methods

[Washed Processing] Remove pulp and pectin → Sun dry

Steps are as follows:

1. After farmers harvest the fruits, they place them in water tanks to remove debris and unripe beans;
2. Place coffee fruits in a pulping machine to remove pulp and skin, obtaining pulped green beans;
3. Place pulped green beans in fermentation tanks to decompose residual pectin on the endocarp, obtaining green beans with residual pectin;
4. Place green beans with residual pectin in washing pools to remove pectin, obtaining green beans with endocarp;
5. Place green beans with endocarp in sun-drying fields or dryers for sun-drying treatment;
6. Finally, use a hulling machine to remove the endocarp from the dried green beans.

03 | Guatemala Coffee Bean Green Bean Analysis

[Guatemala Coffee Bean Miravalle Estate - Geisha]

Varieties: Bourbon, Catuai, Caturra, with wonderful sweetness, balance, and complex, varied flavors, as well as prominent nut and dark chocolate characteristics.

04 | Guatemala Coffee Bean Roasting Analysis

This Guatemala coffee bean has medium-sized beans, medium density, and inherently high moisture content. The roasting target is medium roast. This Guatemala coffee bean uses medium roast to reduce acidity intensity, which can enhance texture and balance, making the overall performance sweeter, with more chocolate and nut characteristics.

In the first batch of roasting, the drop temperature was relatively high, with an entry temperature of 200°C and relatively high heat. During the roasting process, it was discovered that this bean has high moisture content, so a roasting technique of gradually reducing heat, stable temperature rise, and extended dehydration time was adopted. The heat was adjusted finer when the beans entered the yellowing point, completed dehydration, and showed first crack signs, to avoid surface scorching and slightly extend the first crack time, increasing caramelization reaction time and enhancing flavor texture and balance.

Roasting machine: Yangjia 600g semi-direct heat

Preheat to 200°C, air damper set to 3. After 30s, adjust heat to 160°C, air damper unchanged. Temperature return point at 1'37". Maintain heat. At 5'30", bean surface turns yellow, grassy smell completely disappears, entering dehydration stage. Reduce heat to 140°C, adjust air damper to 4.

Dehydration completed only at 8'00". Reduce heat to 100. At 9'45", bean surface shows ugly wrinkles and black spots, toast smell clearly transforms to coffee aroma, which can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this time, listen carefully for the first crack sound. At 9'55", first crack begins, reduce heat to 70, fully open air damper to 5 (adjust heat very carefully, cannot be so small that there's no crackling sound). After first crack, develop for 2'10", drop at 194.5°C.

This Guatemala Miravalle Estate coffee bean has relatively balanced texture, with obvious yet soft sweet and sour sensations, rich chocolate and nut flavors, prominent tea-like quality, slight smoky taste in the finish, soft fruit acidity, high body, and high cleanliness.

V60 dripper, 15g coffee, water temperature 92°C, BG grind 4M, water-to-coffee ratio close to 1:15

40g water for bloom, bloom time 30s

分段：注水到130g 断水，缓慢注水到225g，

That is 30-130-225g

BG4M grind - 92°C water temperature

Sweetness: 4 stars

Acidity: 3 stars

Bitterness: 1 star

Guatemala Coffee Bean Brand Recommendations

Guatemala coffee beans roasted by FrontStreet Coffee offer full guarantees in both brand and quality. More importantly, they provide extremely high cost-performance. One box contains 227 grams priced at only 118 yuan. Calculated at 15g per cup, one package can make 15 cups of coffee, with each cup costing only about 8 yuan. Compared to cafe prices that often run tens of yuan per cup, this is truly a conscientious recommendation.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473