Lives Up to Its Reputation! Guatemala Antigua Coffee SHB Bourbon Brewing Parameters? Microclimate Cultivation

Living Up to Its Reputation! Guatemala Antigua Coffee SHB Bourbon Brewing Parameters? Advantages of Microclimate Cultivation?

Antigua is the most renowned of Guatemala's 8 major producing regions, mainly because of its high altitude and unique volcanic soil, unlike other regions that are somewhat affected by sea breezes or high-humidity air from large lake areas.

Reasons for Antigua's Unique Microgeography Forming Its Distinctive Flavor:

(1) Versatile Volcanic Fertile Soil:

Antigua has three major volcanoes within its territory: Acatenango (which has now become Guatemala's 8th producing region), Fuego and Agua. Fuego is an active volcano whose constant activity brings not only fertile volcanic soil to the Antigua coffee region but also unique volcanic pumice, the cooled product of lava eruptions. With its porous, insulating properties, pumice is excellent for retaining moisture in the soil. Since Antigua is the region with the least rainfall among the 7 major producing regions, coffee growth needs sufficient water, and the moisture retention of the volcanic pumice here perfectly compensates for the rainfall shortfall while giving the growing cherries their unique regional character.

(2) High-Density Shade Trees:

Beyond providing shade, they also prevent frost damage and form unique microclimates. Because Antigua's nights are cold, frost damage occasionally occurs between December and February. At such times high-density shade trees play a crucial role in preventing the coffee trees from frosting. In addition, Antigua's groundwater level is not deep, so these shade trees easily absorb moisture and form a microclimate suited to plant growth together with the surrounding coffee trees.

(3) Dramatic Day-Night Temperature Differences:

This greatly helps develop sweetness and unique flavors in the coffee cherries.

(4) High Altitude:

Coffee trees grown at high altitude produce hard beans with more pronounced coffee aromas and more distinct flavor profiles.

In 2000, because counterfeit beans were rampant, the Authentic Antigua Coffee Association (APCA), made up of Antigua coffee farmers and producers, was established with government support. A total of 34 Antigua estates joined the association, and the Antigua beans sourced by FrontStreet Coffee all belong to it.

Coffee Information:

Country: Guatemala
Region: Antigua
Estate: Guatemala Genuine Antigua Finca Las Nubes
Altitude: 1,530 - 1,860 meters
Variety: Bourbon
Grade: SHB
Processing: Washed fermentation, followed by sun-drying

Coffee Flavor Profile:

Dry Aroma:

Vanilla plants, creamy aroma, lime acidity, caramel sweetness, chocolate

Wet Aroma:

Cane sugar sweetness, vanilla plants, melon-like aromas, hints of citrus essential oil, berries

Break Aroma:

Licorice sweetness, vanilla chocolate

Tasting Notes:

This is a bean with excellent oiliness and sweetness, with estate-grade chocolate acidity. The flavor is clean, with black cherry, hazelnut and melon sweetness and vanilla plants, and a very special finish that carries bittersweet chocolate notes which immediately transform into ginseng and sweet spice aromas, with lasting persistence.

FrontStreet Coffee's Pour-Over Recommendations:

Water-to-coffee ratio of 1:15, Fuji grinder setting 3.5, V60 dripper, first pour with 30g of water for a 28-30s bloom. Depending on the bloom condition and how much it expands, this determines how long to pour with a fine stream. The grounds after blooming will still contain some air. During the second pour foam will be produced, and the fineness of the foam reflects the air content in the grounds. That air content determines whether the grounds float on the surface or settle at the bottom of the filter. With high air content the grounds float, so a fine, gentle stream should be used to agitate them and release the air from within. Pour to 110g of water, stop at 140g, wait until the water level in the bed drops to halfway before pouring again, then slowly pour until reaching 225g, excluding the last 5g. Extraction time: 2:00.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Bourbon is one of the oldest Arabica varieties, and if this Antigua Bourbon appeals to you, FrontStreet's Brazil Queen Estate is built on the rare Yellow Bourbon variety. Grown at a higher altitude in Brazil, it carries the butter, seed, macadamia and almond nut aromas typical of Brazilian coffee along with a clean sugarcane sweetness, and whether brewed on its own or paired with milk it delivers a thick, smooth body, making it a great entry-level single origin that is good and affordable. For a different regional expression, FrontStreet's Ethiopia Sidamo Huakui comes from the Hambela area of Guji: the 200-hectare farm uses traditional natural processing, drying ripe cherries on raised beds for 21 days with constant turning and manual sorting of defective fruit every three to five days, so after a medium-light roast it shows a light fermented wine aroma, florals, citrus and mango, with a much richer, more complex body, honeyed sweetness, cocoa notes, a touch of spice and a lasting finish. FrontStreet's Panama Boquete Washed Geisha is the estate-level entry Geisha, grown at 1,600 meters on rich volcanic ash soil, offering the classic Panamanian orange-blossom honey character with jasmine florals, green tea, honey, citrus and orange.