Antigua Growing Area in Guatemala: Finca Bella Vista Processing Plant [Flower Peak / Hunapu] SHB Grade

Guatemala Antigua Processing Plant Bella Vista: Hunapu SHB Grade Flavor and Story

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Cafe Style (WeChat public account: cafe_style).

What are the flavor and characteristics of SHB grade coffee from the Bella Vista processing plant's Hunapu brand?

Guatemala is located in the Central American isthmus, with many high mountains and plateaus formed by volcanoes. It produces high-quality Central American high-altitude extremely hard coffee beans, ranking as the world's 9th largest coffee producer. This batch of Antigua volcanic Hunapu washed SHB is produced by the Bella Vista processing plant (Beneficio Bella Vista). After local coffee farmers harvest their coffee, they also entrust it to this plant for processing. This group of coffee producers centers around the Beneficio Bella Vista processing plant, sending their coffee there for processing each year. The plant, owned by the Luis Pedro Zelaya family, also provides technical support and related welfare facilities to farmers in the region. The quality of this batch of coffee is exceptionally stable - it achieved a legendary 97-point score from Coffee Review in 2010 when scores were generally not high. To date, Coffee Review's highest score remains 97 points, still unbroken.

Guatemala's Rich Coffee Heritage

For over a hundred years, coffee has been the economic lifeline of Guatemala. The interwoven mountain terrain, volcanic lakes, plains, and highlands, combined with the nearby Atlantic and Pacific oceans, create more than 300 microclimates. This has resulted in unique flavors from different regions. Central America enjoys unique geographical advantages, connecting to North America in the north and South America in the south. Facing the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, the climate is relatively humid and tropical, making it an important coffee-producing region worldwide. Fertile volcanic soil, low humidity, abundant sunshine, and cool evening breezes characterize this region. This area is surrounded by three volcanoes. Whenever the Fuego volcano erupts, mineral-rich volcanic ash mixes with the soil, compensating for insufficient local rainfall and giving coffee a special smoky aroma.

Historical Development of Guatemalan Coffee

Since Guatemala's independence in 1838, Spaniards introduced coffee cultivation to Guatemala. They utilized the diligent nature of the local Maya people and inexpensive labor to continuously produce cheap coffee for the entire Latin America. This situation continued until the 1970s, when after World War II, German merchants once again vigorously promoted Guatemalan coffee sales in Germany, elevating its prominence. Before World War II, 60% of Guatemala's coffee production was exported to Germany. However, in 1942, Guatemala, allied with the United States, officially declared war on Germany and confiscated all German-owned coffee plantations in Guatemala. In the 1950s, with the assistance of American coffee experts, these confiscated small farms were divided into smaller units and distributed to coffee-growing families working on the farms.

Guatemala's Seven Major Coffee Regions

Guatemala's main coffee-producing regions include Antigua, Huehuetenango, Atitlan, Coban, Fraijanes, San Marcos, and Acatenango - seven major regions in total. All coffee beans produced in Guatemala's seven coffee regions are Arabica, located in highland terrain under subtropical climate conditions. Rich and stable rainfall, fertile volcanic ash soil provides extremely suitable natural environmental conditions for coffee cultivation throughout the country. Each region has unique flavors, superior acidity and fruity aromas with a smooth mouthfeel, ranking among the world's top coffees, suitable for single-origin consumption. The Antigua region is located in the topographically traversing mountains of Guatemala, primarily in the Madre plateau area. Due to natural conditions in this region, Antigua has become Guatemala's most famous producing area. Antigua is located in the southwest of the country, facing south towards the three volcanic groups of Agua, Fuego, and Acatenango. Its geographical environment is exceptionally advantageous, making it a typical coffee cultivation sanctuary.

Bella Vista Processing Plant and the Hunapu Brand

The Bella Vista processing plant (Beneficio Bella Vista) is owned by the Luis Pedro Zelaya family. He is currently the fourth-generation family successor managing this processing plant. In addition to having their own coffee plantation (Finca Bella Vista), he also serves as a director of the Antigua Coffee Growers Association and is a coffee cultivation trainer and expert, guiding local coffee production techniques. Hunapu is a brand established by Zelcafe, founded by Luis Pedro Zelaya, with about 30 groups of small-scale producers jointly producing coffee. It uses traditional washed processing methods, soaking in water for about 24 hours while stirring to remove pulp and mucilage. Hunapu is a coffee brand - the local Antigua name for "Water Volcano" (Volcan de Agua). Water Volcano is also the largest of the three volcanoes in the Antigua region. Hunapu means "mountain of flowers" in the local dialect. This region can see the Water Volcano from almost every corner, so this area's coffee is named after this beautiful nickname.

Coffee Details: Guatemala Antigua Bella Vista Processing Plant Hunapu Washed SHB

Processing Method: Washed fermentation, with sun-drying followed by low-temperature drying in the later stage.

Variety: Primarily Bourbon.

Grade: SHB.

Coffee Flavor: Balanced sweet and sour, with characteristic cocoa aroma. When discussing Guatemala's standard acidity, this region is often used as the benchmark. Lemon acid, apple juice, Murcott citrus, white grape - flavors are clean and refined, with varied fruity acidity and layers.

Flavor Description: Floral notes, alpine fir aroma, tea fragrance, berries, cream, sweet lemon, caramel, sweetness, floral notes, hazelnut chocolate, tea fragrance, almonds, honey. The entry has very delicate sweet and sour transitions, with a finish featuring sweet chocolate and berry tartness.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommended Brewing Method:

Dripper: Hario V60

Water Temperature: 90°C

Grind Size: Fuji Royal R-440 #3.5

Brewing Technique: Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, 15g coffee grounds. First pour 25g water for 25s bloom. Second pour to 120g water, then pause. Wait until the water level drops to half, then continue pouring slowly until reaching 225g total water. Extraction time approximately 2:00.

Analysis: Using a three-stage brewing method to clearly define the front, middle, and back-end flavors of the coffee. Because the V60 has many ribs and drains quickly, pausing during pouring can extend extraction time.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473