Guatemala Washed Coffee Beans Flavor Introduction Where to Buy Guatemala Coffee Beans

FrontStreet Coffee Presents: Guatemalan Coffee

Guatemala is a major coffee-producing country in Central America, ranking eighth in the world in production. The name Guatemala comes from the Mayan language and means land of many trees. Located in Central America, it is known as the pearl on the crown of Central America. Although Guatemala's land area is limited, it has a rich and varied climate. Famous for its lakes and volcanoes, the country's volcanic soil, rainfall, temperature, humidity, and altitude provide a perfect natural environment for coffee.

Guatemala is known for producing beans with rich fruity aromas, and it ranked as Central America's largest coffee producer for most of the 20th and 21st centuries. Among its regions, Antigua is a famous coffee-producing area, known for rich volcanic soil, low humidity, and strong sunlight. Three active volcanoes, Agua, Acatenango, and Fuego, shape a beautiful valley landscape.

Roughly every 30 years the area around Antigua experiences volcanic eruptions, which add more nitrogen to the already fertile land. Abundant rainfall and sunshine make the place even better suited to coffee. Antigua's coffee is produced at the Carmona estate, where the best-quality coffee is El Puca, which has excellent quality and holds up well against other Latin American coffees. Guatemalan Antigua coffee is also known for its rich, full-bodied taste and its unique charcoal-roasted aroma.

Where Can You Buy Guatemalan Coffee?

FrontStreet Coffee's Guatemalan Coffee Introduction

La Minita Flora de Café

Country of Origin: Guatemala

Region: Antigua

Varieties: Caturra, Catuai, Bourbon

Altitude: 1200-1600 Meters

Processing Method: Washed

Flavor Notes: Elegant floral aroma, soft acidity, chocolate, with a clean and bright mouthfeel

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Washed coffee like this Guatemalan lot is prized for its clean, bright cup, and FrontStreet Kenya Cherry Tomato shows the same clarity with more fruit. Grown in Kenya's Thika region between 1,550 and 1,750 meters from the SL28 and SL34 varieties, it goes through a 72-hour double washed fermentation and is roasted light, pouring out clear cherry tomato and preserved plum with a bright, juice-like acidity, mid-palate sweetness, pear and black plum, and a clean finish of brown sugar and green tea.

If you prefer the balanced, elegant side of washed coffee, FrontStreet Jamaica Blue Mountain No.1 is a Typica roasted medium, showing hazelnut, cream, chocolate, and caramel with a cup that is even from start to finish. FrontStreet Gotiti Cooperative, from the Worka area at the southeastern edge of Yirgacheffe, is another washed option, offering jasmine fragrance, bright citrus and lemon acidity, and a green tea and honey character that suits pour-over, cold brew, and espresso alike.