How to Make Pour-Over Coffee with Guatemala Finca El Morito Sun-Dried Beans_Guide to Brewing Finca El Morito Pour-Over Coffee

Origin: Finca El Morito, Guatemala

Variety: Catuai

Flavor Description

Natural Process: Blueberry, Cocoa, Tropical Fruits

Finca El Morito

This estate lies in the Santa Rosa mountain region of Guatemala and belongs to the Jalapa producing area. The owner is Mr. José Roberto Monterroso, and the growing area of Finca El Morito ranges from 1,370 to 2,040 meters above sea level.

Average temperatures run from 7°C to 25°C, with annual rainfall reaching 1,500–2,500 mm. Surrounded by mountains including Jumay Volcano as well as the Alcoba, Arluta, and Jalapa mountains, it enjoys consistently mild and suitable temperatures year-round. The estate has 98 hectares planted with coffee, 50.6 hectares of pastureland, and 523.4 hectares designated as protected forest. Many well-known tree species have also been planted, creating a complete and balanced ecosystem.

On the technology front, owner José Roberto Monterroso has invested substantially, spending large sums each year on equipment maintenance and research and development. His aim is to offer a range of flavor profiles for different customer segments, from premium commercial beans to niche specialty coffees. Every part of the estate has received real care and effort, which explains why Finca El Morito has been a consistent champion in the Cup of Excellence (COE) competitions over the years.

Finca El Morito is an exceptionally consistent performer, having earned Cup of Excellence rankings every year from 2013 to 2018 while holding positions within the top five.

At first only about twenty growers participated, but the estate now has over 450 members. Its hallmark is the ability to supply a wide range of quality, from premium commercial beans to deeply niche specialty coffees, grown at altitudes from 1,400m to 2,300 meters above sea level.

The owner also shows a strong sense of social responsibility. Before this year's Cup of Excellence competition, when a local volcanic eruption caused a severe natural disaster, he decided to donate 50% of the proceeds from the COE auction to help the victims.

How to Brew Guatemala Coffee (Finca El Morito) Perfectly

FrontStreet Coffee's pour-over reference: Weigh 15g of Finca El Morito grounds and grind to a medium setting. The particles should be slightly coarser than table salt. We use a BG grinder set to 5R, with a 60% pass rate on a standard sieve, water at 89°C, and a V60 dripper for extraction.

Pour the hot water from the gooseneck kettle in clockwise circles centered on the middle of the filter. Start timing when brewing begins. Within 15 seconds, pour to 30g, then stop. At the 1-minute mark, begin the second pour. As before, pour in clockwise circles centered on the middle of the filter, keeping the stream away from where the coffee bed meets the filter paper to prevent channeling.

Leave a ring's width of space when pouring toward the outermost coffee, then work circle by circle back toward the center. At 2 minutes and 20 seconds, the coffee should reach 220g, completing the brew.

Japanese-Style Iced Pour-Over (Finca El Morito)

FrontStreet Coffee's iced pour-over reference:

Guatemala coffee Finca El Morito, light to medium roast, BG grinder setting 5M (67% pass rate on a standard sieve).

20g of grounds, 150g of ice, 150g of hot water. The water temperature should be 1°C higher than the normal pour-over recommendation of 90°C. A normal grind uses the Fuji grinder at a 3.5 setting; for the iced pour, grind slightly finer by half a step to Fuji 3.

Bloom with 40g of water for 30 seconds.

Segmented pouring: 60g of water in the first segment and 40g in the second. Use a relatively fine but tall water column, applying force to stir and impact so the grounds tumble thoroughly. Be careful, though, not to let the liquid level rise too high or pour onto the edge of the filter paper.

The whole extraction takes about 2.5 minutes, similar to the normal extraction time for 20g of grounds.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

A naturally processed Catuai with blueberry, cocoa, and tropical fruit calls for a companion that shares that juicy sweetness, and the FrontStreet Ethiopia Huakui fits the bill. Its tropical-fruit aroma is extremely prominent, with strawberry, passion fruit, jackfruit, and lychee all easy to find. The cup is sweet and very low in bitterness, smooth and full of juice — the kind of profile that wins over people who usually dislike the bitterness of traditional coffee.

If you would rather lean into the cocoa and nut side of this Guatemala, try the FrontStreet Brazil Queen Estate. From Mogiana, near South Minas, it is a rare Yellow Bourbon grown on fertile red volcanic soil. Brewed as a pour-over, in a moka pot, or on a home espresso machine, it reveals a sugarcane sweetness other regions rarely offer, alongside fruit and chocolate — a warm, balanced counterpoint to a fruit-forward natural.