Introduction to Guatemala's Finca El Injerto Estate and How to Best Enjoy Guatemalan Coffee

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Guatemala Coffee Origins

Guatemala began cultivating coffee around 1850. Before World War I, Germans controlled up to 80% of the country's production, most of which was exported to Germany. The official coffee farmers' association ANACAFE divided the country into 8 regions based on geography and flavor characteristics in the 1990s, promoting these origins as registered trademarks. These include Antigua, Acatenango, Huehuetenango, and Atitlán, where many award-winning farms are located. Today, common coffee varieties in Guatemala include Typica, Bourbon, Caturra, Catuaí, Pacas, Maragogype, Pacamara (a hybrid of the previous two), Pache Comum (a local variant of Typica), and Gesha.

A cup of Guatemala coffee comes from the Acatenango region. Its flavor is so distinctive that the terroir characteristics are completely overshadowed. If Gesha performs a solo act in Panama, then Guatemala with its diverse growing environments is a grand stage where different varieties bloom in splendor. While Hacienda La Esmeralda wins championships with Gesha, its rival is Finca El Injerto located in Huehuetenango, Guatemala.

Finca El Injerto's Numerous Awards

Finca El Injerto's coffee has won awards in the Cup of Excellence (COE) competition every year since 2004, achieving Presidential level (total score exceeding 90 points) in 2006, 2008, 2009, and 2010. Unlike Hacienda La Esmeralda which exclusively competes with Gesha, Finca El Injerto competes with different varieties each year. In 2010, its Pacamara variety, then described as "low acidity and light flavor," won the championship with a score of 93.14 and sparked a cultivation frenzy throughout Central America! This demonstrates that soil, climate, and processing are as important as coffee variety genetics. Since 2011, like Hacienda La Esmeralda, Finca El Injerto began hosting its own auctions. The rare ancient Mocha variety they introduced sold at a record price of $550 per pound (approximately HK$4,290) in 2012, making headlines in The New York Times.

Finca El Injerto Estate

Finca El Injerto is located on the Huehuetenango highlands in Guatemala, a historic farm spanning 720 hectares at an elevation of approximately 1,500-2,000 meters. It preserves 470 hectares of natural ecological rainforest surrounding the coffee cultivation areas. The estate has been operated by the Aguirre family since they settled here in 1874, and began coffee cultivation in 1900. The name "Injerto" comes from a native fruit in the region.

Exceptional Quality

Finca El Injerto stands out as exceptional due to its repeated recognition in Guatemala's Cup of Excellence competitions! It placed 11th in 2002, won first place in 2006, placed 6th in 2007, and again won the championship in 2008 with the new Pacamara variety, creating a sensation in the international coffee auction market with prices reaching up to $80 per pound of green beans.

FrontStreet Coffee recommends brewing with water at 90-92°C to extract flavors featuring ripe fruit aromas, soft acidity, delicate texture, prominent caramel-like sweetness, and distinct tea-like notes.

Coffee Details

Coffee Region: Guatemala/Huehuetenango/Injerto Estate

Growing Altitude: 1,500-2,000 meters

Green Bean Variety: Catuai + Bourbon

Processing Method: Washed

Quality Grade: SHB/Rainforest Alliance Certified

Harvest Year: 2008

About FrontStreet Coffee

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but diverse bean varieties, offering both famous and lesser-known coffee beans, as well as online shop services. https://shop104210103.taobao.com