Guatemala | San Marco Estate ACUPDIC & APCASA Cooperative SHB Natural Process Coffee Beans

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Guatemala | San Macro Estate ACUPDIC & APCASA Cooperative SHB Natural Bean Flavor?

San Macro is a city in Guatemala and the capital of San Marco Province. Founded in 1533, it covers an area of 121 square kilometers. Located in the southwestern part of the country, it is 252 kilometers from Guatemala City, bordered by Mexico to the west and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The country's highest peak, Tajumulco Volcano, is located in this province at an altitude of 2,398 meters.

The ACUPDIC and APCASA cooperatives - the Farmers' Alliance for Peace and Comprehensive Social Development Association (ACUPDIC) and the Santa Anita Coffee Producers Association (APCASA) - are located in the San Marco region of Guatemala.

These two villages were created after the Guatemalan civil war when guerrillas purchased coffee fields as part of the "Peace Accords" in the early 1990s. The villages are remote and difficult to reach, making poverty and food insecurity common. Together, the two cooperatives have approximately 126 members. Farmers are typically smallholders, with each family owning an average of about 5-10 acres of land. All coffee is cultivated and processed by hand.

Volcanic Origins

In ancient times, violent volcanic activity created the mountainous terrain, highlands, and abundant water resources of Guatemala - which are today's coffee-growing regions. Santa Maria Volcano sits in San Marco and experienced the largest eruption of the 20th century in 1902, also the largest eruption in Central America in a thousand years. Massive amounts of volcanic ash blocked out sunlight, causing global temperatures to drop by half a degree. All coffee estates were buried under volcanic ash, causing coffee production to decline by 75%, taking twenty years to gradually recover, but this also resulted in rich volcanic ash soil.

Climate and Processing

Volcanic San Marco is the warmest and highest rainfall area among Guatemala's eight coffee-producing regions, and also the earliest to flower. The rainy season lasts from late April to mid-November, with some areas receiving up to 200 inches of rainfall annually. Due to climate conditions and unpredictable rainfall, most estates have their own washing processing plants, then dry the coffee to semi-dry in courtyards before using low-temperature drying.

Varieties and Flavor Profile

Coffee varieties used include Bourbon, Catuai, Caturra, and Catimor. The region features subtle floral aromas, unique acidity, and noticeable body. The San Marco region is the hottest among Guatemala's eight coffee-growing areas, with the highest rainfall reaching 200 inches (5,000 mm) and average humidity of 70-80%. Seasonal rainfall arrives earlier than other regions, producing the earliest coffee plant flowering. The northern part of the department is mountainous, with the Madre mountain range crossing through, and two of Central America's highest volcanoes located within its boundaries, creating microclimate-producing regions.

The flavor profile includes sweet fermented wine aroma, deep dark chocolate taste, and peach-like sweetness. Hand-picked, with 14 days of natural drying before hulling to preserve the complete flavor of the fruit skin and pulp.

Coffee Specifications

Varieties: Catimor, Typica, Bourbon, Caturra, Catuai

Grade: SHB EP

Region: San Marco

Altitude: 1,600 m

Temperature: 21-27°C

Relative Humidity: 70-80%

Harvest Season: December - March

Soil: Volcanic soil

Processing Method: Natural processing

Characteristics: Wine notes, peach, red berries

FrontStreet Coffee's Recommended Brewing:

Dripper: Hario V60

Water Temperature: 90°C

Grind Size: Fuji Royal grinder setting 3.5

Brewing Method: 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, 15g coffee grounds. First pour to 25g water, bloom for 25 seconds. Second pour to 120g water, pause. Wait until the water level drops to halfway, then continue pouring slowly to 225g total. Extraction time around 2:00.

Analysis: Using a three-stage pour method to clearly distinguish the front, middle, and back flavor profiles of the coffee. Because V60 has many ribs and drains faster, pausing during pouring helps extend extraction time.

Important Notice :

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