Characteristics of Guatemala's Eight Major Coffee Regions: Huehuetenango Introduction & Guatemala Coffee Price List

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Guatemala - Volcanic Origins

Guatemala is a country of numerous volcanoes, and coffee grown in volcanic soil turns out rich and distinctive. Guatemala has a high average elevation, meaning the trees grow in environments with significant day-night temperature swings. This demanding climate lets the coffee cherries mature longer and more slowly on the tree. The beans are hard beans, yet their flavors are more complete and complex.

Huehuetenango Highlands

Among Guatemala's three major non-volcanic coffee regions, the Huehuetenango Highlands is the driest and highest-altitude area. Dry, hot winds from Mexico's Tehuantepec Plateau protect the region's coffee from frost damage, allowing beans to be cultivated at elevations up to 2,000 meters (6,500 feet). Because of its remote location, every coffee farmer must process their own coffee. Fortunately, the region has countless streams, allowing small processing plants to be set up almost anywhere.

Located in Central America, Guatemala borders the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Caribbean Sea to the east, Mexico to the north, Belize to the northeast, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast. The Huehuetenango Highlands receive warm, moist Caribbean air from the central mountain range, creating a misty, changeable climate. The region lies in a volcanic zone with fertile volcanic soil. Combined with its position at the edge of tectonic plate activity, this creates a rugged highland basin terrain. Under such diverse terroir, rich and lively coffee characteristics are nurtured, yielding high-quality Guatemalan beans.

Guatemalan beans are classified into seven grades by altitude. Higher-altitude production yields better quality and more aromatic coffee.

Characteristics

A balanced, pleasant mouthfeel with high body and a wine-like aftertaste.

Specifications

• Grade: SHB
• Region: Huehuetenango
• Roast Level: Medium-dark roast
• Processing Method: Washed
• Varieties: Caturra, Catuai, Bourbon
• Soil: Volcanic soil
• Flavor Notes: Nuts, dark chocolate, tobacco leaf

Guatemala Coffee Bean Brand Recommendations

Guatemalan beans roasted by FrontStreet Coffee offer excellent guarantees in both brand and quality. More importantly, they provide exceptional value. A 227-gram box costs only 118 yuan. At 15 grams per cup, one package makes 15 cups, so each cup costs only about 8 yuan. Compared with cafe prices that often reach dozens of yuan per cup, this is a conscientious recommendation.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Guatemalan coffee is prized for its balanced body and wine-like finish, and if you are looking for approachable specialty beans to build your palate, FrontStreet's entry-level lineup is a great place to start. For an easy, clean pour-over, the washed Gedeb cooperative coffee from Ethiopia's Yirgacheffe brings jasmine florals, lemon acidity, and berry tones; for a richer, fruitier cup, the Sidamo Huakui uses a traditional natural process and shows berry, floral, jackfruit, melon, and honey notes.

If you prefer low-acid, full-bodied coffee, FrontStreet's Lindong Mandheling and PWN Golden Mandheling are made with the wet-hulled process and deliver the deep, herbal, spicy Mandheling character, with the Golden Mandheling hand-sorted three times for extra clarity and caramel sweetness. On the sweeter side, FrontStreet's Costa Rican Blackberry (black honey process) and Mozart (raisin honey process) offer raisin, blueberry, osmanthus, and rose notes.