Organic Certification | Guatemala Huehuetenango Top Lot SHB EP Washed Bourbon, Catuai, Catuai Varietals

Bird Friendly & Organic Certified | Flavor Profile of Washed Bourbon, Caturra, and Catuai from Guatemala's Huehuetenango Region

The Danzhen Village Cooperative is made up of small farmers in the Huehuetenango region of Guatemala. It currently has 330 small farmer members, of whom 316 are local indigenous people. In 2000 the cooperative obtained Fair Trade certification, which improved members' income and basic living conditions, stabilized the regional economy, and reduced population outflow. The cooperative also runs women's programs that improve nutrition and offer work-skills training. It has additionally obtained Bird Friendly certification, which greatly helps protect the regional ecosystem.

"Guatemala" means "land of many trees" in the ancient Mayan language. 98% of the coffee grown there is cultivated under tree shade, creating a bird-friendly ecological environment. With unique clean water sources and active volcanic geology, diverse microclimates produce distinctly different flavors across coffee-producing regions.

Roast Profiles and Flavor Notes

Light Roast - City Roast

Hazelnut flavor with blueberry aroma, grapefruit acidity that is subtle and bright, and a smooth mouthfeel. The sweetness at this roast level is the fruity sweetness of hawthorn.

Medium Roast (General B)

Pecan aroma, acidity that becomes very gentle with a slight lift at the end, a thin mouthfeel, milk chocolate sweetness, and an aftertaste that carries peanut powder residue.

Dark Roast (General C)

Chocolate replaces the hazelnut aroma, acidity appears only when the coffee cools, the mouthfeel is moderately viscous and smooth, the sweetness is the aroma of roasted malt sugar, and a delicate smoky flavor appears in the aftertaste.

When roasted to slightly strong (Full-City+ or dark), the chocolate and cocoa aroma is very attractive, yet the mouthfeel remains refined and clean with subtle characteristics.

Coffee Details

• Region: Huehuetenango
• Varieties: Bourbon, Caturra, Catuai
• Processing: Washed
• Certifications: Bird Friendly Certified, Organic Certified
• Fair Trade: Fair Trade Organic Bird Friendly
• Bean Size: Larger than 15 mesh
• Flavor Notes: Apricot, lime, chocolate, apple

FrontStreet Coffee Recommends Brewing

• Dripper: Hario V60
• Water Temperature: 90°C
• Grind Size: Fuji Royal grinder setting 3.5
• Brewing Method: Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, 15g coffee grounds. First infusion with 25g water, steam for 25 seconds. Second infusion to 120g water, then stop pouring. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to half before continuing to pour. Slowly pour water until reaching 225g total. Extraction time around 2:00.

Analysis: The three-stage brewing method clearly defines the front, middle, and back-end flavors of the coffee. Because the V60 has many ribs and a faster drainage speed, stopping the flow helps extend the extraction time.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If you enjoy this clean, transparent washed style, FrontStreet Coffee's lineup has a few standouts worth trying. Kenya Little Tomato is one of the best-known examples of washed processing: Kenya is famous for double-washing its green beans, running the coffee through the washing steps twice - soaking and floating the beans, rinsing away the mucilage left on the surface, soaking again, then drying and hulling. That repeated washing and soaking brings out a juicy fruit character, with rich aromas of cherry tomato, smoked plum, snow pear, black plum, and brown sugar, and a sweet-tart, mouth-watering cup that many coffee lovers swear by.

For a more floral and citrus-driven washed coffee, try FrontStreet Coffee's Gedeb Cooperative from the Gedeb village in Yirgacheffe. It is washed and medium-light roasted, showing maximum jasmine florals and bright citrus acidity, with green tea and honey notes on top - a clean, elegant cup that works beautifully as pour-over, cold brew, or espresso.