Guatemala Huehuetenango | Acatenango Cooperative (Smithsonian Bird Friendly) Certified Organic Bourbon, Caturra Flavor Profiles

Guatemala Huehuetenango | Asobagri Cooperative (Smithsonian Bird Friendly) Certified Organic Bourbon, Caturra Flavor Profile

Coffee has contributed to Guatemala's economy for the past century. There are currently about 125,000 coffee producers in the country, and coffee is the main export, accounting for 40% of agricultural exports. As many as 20 of Guatemala's 22 provinces grow coffee, so beans come from almost every region. 98% of the coffee is grown under shade trees, and Arabica dominates almost exclusively. The main sub-varieties include Bourbon, Typica, Caturra, Catuai, Pache, and Pacamara. Guatemala benefits from high altitudes and 300 different microclimates, combined with stable rainfall and fertile, mineral-rich soil -- the most favorable growing conditions among the Central American countries.

Since the early 1990s, Anacafe has pioneered classifying coffee by its characteristics, growing climate, soil quality, and altitude, identifying 8 different regions that produce high-altitude hard beans (SHB): Acatenango Valley, Antigua, Atitlan, Coban Rainforest, Fraijanes Plateau, Huehuetenango, Nuevo Oriente, and San Marcos Volcanic Region. The main harvest runs from December to March each year, with higher-altitude regions such as Huehuetenango continuing into April. Once harvesting and processing are finished, the coffee is ready to ship.

The Asociacion Barillense de Agricultores (ASOBAGRI) Cooperative is located in the mountain town of Barillas, 200 kilometers north of Huehuetenango, Guatemala's major coffee city in the northwest. Surrounded by green forest conservation areas, it has 711 farmers who primarily grow coffee, with 352 independent farmers holding organic certification. Most members still communicate in traditional Mayan languages. ASOBAGRI's mission is to strengthen green, environmentally friendly production among small farmers in the region, maintain traditional organic and shade-grown methods, invest earnings in drying patios and storage warehouses, and support its own healthcare and education programs.

Farm Information

Farm Name: Asociacion Barillense de Agricultores (ASOBAGRI Cooperative)

City: Huehuetenango

Country: Guatemala

Altitude: 1,650 - 1,850 meters

Certification: Fair Trade Certified ORIGIN Organic, Smithsonian Bird Friendly

Coffee Characteristics

Variety: Bourbon, Caturra

Processing System: Fully Washed and dried on patio

Top Jury Descriptions: Cupping roast level begins 60 seconds after first crack (Cinnamon roast)

Aroma/Flavor: Violet, Raspberry, Black Tea, Honey Peach, Jasmine, Red Beet Sweetness, Grass Sweetness

Acidity: Pomelo acidity, Lemon acidity, Green Tangerine

Complexity & Other: Complex and solid acidity, with no astringent or harsh sensation, sufficient sweetness and purity in medium and dark roasts, and a smooth, pleasant cup

FrontStreet Coffee Recommended Brewing:

Dripper: Hario V60

Water Temperature: 90C

Grind Size: Fuji Royal grinder setting 3.5

Brewing Method: Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, using 15g of coffee grounds. First pour 25g of water for a 25-second bloom. Second pour to 120g, then pause. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to half, then continue pouring slowly until reaching 225g total. Extraction time approximately 2:00.

Analysis: A three-stage brewing method clearly separates the front, middle, and back-end flavors of the coffee. Because the V60 has many ribs and drains quickly, pausing during the pour helps extend the extraction time.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Washed, shade-grown single origins like this Huehuetenango shine when they are roasted light enough to keep their florals and acidity intact, so if that is the profile you enjoy, FrontStreet Coffee's Hambella Huakui from Guji in Sidamo is a natural-process counterpart worth comparing. Its native heirloom varieties give uneven bean sizes and a delicate floral lift, and the classic natural process brings cream strawberry, mango, jackfruit, citrus, and blueberry -- the ripe tropical-fruit character that Sidamo naturals are known for.

For a washed reference in the same bright, clean style, FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe Gudingding is graded G1, Ethiopia's highest grade, and washed in the traditional way. Expect elegant white florals, citrus, orange, and green tea.

If you want something more unusual, FrontStreet Coffee's Colombia Sidra is a light-to-medium roast with florals, tropical fruit, grape, dried fruit, and passionfruit, and a juice-like body. Sidra first came from Pichincha Province in Ecuador, and genetic comparison shows it shares genes with Ethiopian landraces, which is why that fruit-forward character feels familiar.

All three reward the same approach: a V60 at 90C, a 1:15 ratio, 15g of coffee, a 25g bloom for about 25 seconds, then a pour to 120g, a pause, and a finish at 225g for roughly a 2:00 extraction.