Guatemala Coffee: What Are the Characteristics of Guatemalan Coffee Beans?

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The Legend of Coffee's Discovery

Around the sixth century AD, an Arab goatherd named Kaldi secretly observed his goats while grazing and discovered that after eating red berries from a wild shrub on the hillside, they became unusually excited. Curious Kaldi personally picked these berries, tasted them, and found himself full of energy and in a very pleasant mood. He then took these fruits to a nearby monastery and told the monks about their magical effects. However, the monks believed this was the work of the devil and threw the red fruits into the fire, which immediately emitted an intoxicatingly special aroma. While the abbot was asleep, one young rebellious monk collected these cooled beans, ground them into powder, and poured them into a container filled with hot water. The world's first cup of coffee was thus born.

Latin American Coffee Excellence

Central and South America are renowned as the finest coffee-producing regions, with coffee known for its mild, bright, and elegantly fruity acidity. Almost all coffee blend recipes include Latin American coffee beans. Producing countries in this region include Jamaica, Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, and more...

Guatemala's Coffee Heritage

Guatemalan coffee originates from cultivation introduced during Spanish colonial rule, with early planting by monks in the gardens of Antigua Santiago de los Caballeros. Guatemala's coffee industry began developing in the 1850s, with early small coffee plantations scattered in southwestern areas such as Amatitlan and Antigua. At that time, due to lack of planting knowledge and technology, coffee production growth was slow. Many coffee farmers had to rely on loans to operate their coffee plantations. Later, with capital injections from foreign companies, they gradually bought out coffee plantations and took over Guatemala's coffee production.

Since coffee production is a labor-intensive industry, labor shortages have become the main obstacle to increasing Guatemala's coffee production. In 1887, Guatemala's coffee production exceeded 22,000 metric tons, and by 1891, it had surpassed 24,000 metric tons. By 1902, several important global coffee plantations were established in Guatemala.

Guatemala's Coffee Growing Regions

The slopes of the Sierra Madre volcanoes provide ideal conditions for growing premium coffee beans, with coffee thriving in high-altitude areas. This coffee has a complex flavor profile with spicy notes. The region's strictly hard bean (SHB) coffee is exceptionally rare and excellent—it features full-bodied beans, delicious taste, and balanced acidity.

Antigua is also a famous coffee-producing region. Antigua's coffee comes from Hacienda Carmona, where the finest coffee is El Pulcal, which not only has excellent quality but is also more full-bodied, richer in taste, and has a stronger tobacco flavor than other Guatemalan coffees. Approximately every 30 years, the Antigua area suffers from volcanic eruptions, which provides more nitrogen to the already fertile land. Abundant rainfall and sunshine make this place even more suitable for coffee cultivation.

Other coffee-producing regions include San Marcos, Oriente & Coban, Palcya, Mataquescuintla, and La Uman in Zacapa. The establishment of the Specialty Coffee Association means the Guatemalan government has begun to focus on high-quality coffee, and efforts made toward this goal will soon show results.

The main regions in Guatemala that produce premium coffee are Lake Atitlan and Huehuetenango.

Brewing Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee's Guatemala brewing parameter recommendations:

V60/90°C/1:15 ratio/time: two minutes

Guatemalan coffee has excellent fruity acidity, a smooth mouthfeel, and a slight smoky note in the finish that makes it particularly special.

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