Introduction to El Güisquilar, Black Angel Estate, Guatemala | Characteristics of Guatemalan Coffee

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Black Angel Estate EL GÜISQUILAR

Black Angel Estate was established in January 1965.

This estate is located in the Democracy Municipality, Huehuetenango, Guatemala, at an altitude ranging from 1670m to 2100m, bordering Mexico. It is situated in the northern highlands of Guatemala.

Estate Management

In terms of estate management, the owner places special emphasis on quality control. To avoid using pesticides, the owner arranges coffee plantings with adequate spacing for growth, using local grass fertilizers and coffee fruit husks to create organic fertilizers, and irrigates with recycled water resources.

Proper pruning allows coffee plants to have better space for growth, and the pruned branches and leaves can also be composted into organic fertilizer for reuse.

The estate owner, Jorge, takes special care of the local farmers in estate management. There is a small school near the estate where the children of farmers can attend school and learn. The estate has a small chapel where devout farmers can pray and rest. Activities are often held at the small chapel to strengthen relationships among farmers. The estate also provides emergency assistance for immediate support when urgent situations arise.

Nature Conservation Area

Owning one of Guatemala's highest estates, the owner preserves the mountaintop area from 1800m to 2100m as primary forest land. Rare wild animals such as wolves, squirrels, monkeys, rabbits, deer, foxes, jaguars, eagles, and wild boars can often be seen on the mountaintop. The owner has also donated a forest path on the mountaintop to make it more convenient for ethnic minorities living higher up to travel between mountains. As the owner drives and casually shares these small stories about the forest, I am deeply moved.

Organic Fertilizer Management

In estate management, the owner places special emphasis on quality control. To avoid using pesticides, the owner arranges coffee plantings with adequate spacing for growth, using local grass fertilizers and coffee fruit husks to create organic fertilizers, and irrigates with recycled water resources. Proper pruning allows coffee plants to have better space for growth, and the pruned branches and leaves can also be composted into organic fertilizer for reuse.

Coffee Washed Processing

Currently, the second-generation owner majored in industrial engineering. Therefore, they are committed to using clean natural water resources and natural terrain channels to complete washing and fermentation, diverting the washed water to planting areas for irrigation. This makes full use of the high-altitude water resources.

The estate uses machine drying and also partially uses natural sun drying for completion, all aimed at achieving the highest coffee quality through proper management. On this mountain, the owner experiments with planting different varieties in different blocks, dividing them into different batches and continuously researching the adjustments needed for fertilizer, water, and processing methods based on different geographical microclimates. This has allowed the estate to reach the finals of Cup of Excellence multiple times and earned the honor of being in the top 10 nationwide in 2017.

Coffee Characteristics:

Region: Huehuetenango

Country: Guatemala

Altitude: 1,675 meters to 2,000 meters

Processing Method: Washed

Variety: Caturra

FrontStreet Coffee recommends brewing with water at 89-90°C, which reveals floral aromas, white peach, cane sugar sweetness, citrus, cocoa, nuts, and mixed tropical fruits. The mouthfeel is rich, with a sweet fruit aftertaste.

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but diverse bean varieties, where you can find both famous and lesser-known beans. Online shop services are also available. https://shop104210103.taobao.com

Important Notice :

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