What Are Guatemalan Coffee Beans Like? An Introduction to Guatemalan Coffee Flavor and Taste

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FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Guatemala Coffee

Guatemala is bordered by Mexico to the north, Honduras and El Salvador to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. With its unique geography encompassing mountains and seas, Guatemala boasts tropical rainforests, volcanic geology, highland valleys, and diverse microclimates. Guatemala coffee once enjoyed the reputation of being the world's finest quality coffee. The extremely hard coffee beans from this region are full-bodied, deliciously balanced, and brew coffee that is pure and rich.

Few places in the world can produce the variety of high-quality coffee beans that Guatemala does. The excellent quality of Guatemala coffee beans is due to the unique conditions of their growing regions; including different climate variations in each area, fertile volcanic soil, abundant natural water resources, high mountain altitudes, and cool, humid forests.

Coffee arrived in the Americas between 1720 and 1730 through the Caribbean islands, with the famous story of French army captain Mathieu de Clieu. Later, Jesuit teams spread coffee to other countries. During this period, Guatemala and surrounding lands belonged to the same Spanish territory. The earliest plantations were established around 1770. At that time, other crops used as pigment sources were the core of the colonial economy.

Based on altitude, Guatemala has three main coffee-producing regions, which affect the quality and flavor of each cup. The first is the low zone (760-1,070 meters), characterized by high growth rates, low acidity, and soft texture. The second is the intermediate zone (1,070-1,200 meters), with average acidity and flavor. Finally, there is the high zone (1,300-2,000 meters), featuring high acidity and rich flavor.

Guatemala has seven main coffee-producing regions: Antigua, Cobán, Atitlán, Fraijanes, Oriente, and San Marcos.

Among these, four regions—Antigua, Atitlán, San Marcos, and Fraijanes—are characterized by volcanic rock. The other regions consist of non-volcanic highlands or tropical rainforest climates.

Particularly, the Antigua region of Guatemala produces the country's finest coffee. Coffee from the Antigua region is known as the "nobility of coffee."

This area features three spectacular active volcanoes, rich volcanic soil, low temperatures, intense sunlight, and cool evening winds—these are the characteristics of the Antigua region.

It is understood that approximately every 30 years, the Antigua region experiences a volcanic eruption, which brings more nitrogen to the land. Combined with its climatic conditions, this makes Antigua even more suitable for coffee cultivation.

Coffee from this region is grown at an altitude of 1,524 meters. The produced beans are not only smooth-surfaced, hard, and of high quality but also have a smooth texture. In their rich aroma, they contain a hint of charcoal flavor, like the sweetness of chocolate mixed with smoky notes.

Due to this unique charcoal aroma, Antigua coffee is also known as "cigar coffee." It is more intense with a perfect balance of acidity and sweetness, plus a hint of smokiness that emphasizes its depth and mystery. It is praised by coffee connoisseurs as one of the world's finest and most distinctive coffees.

The creation of a specialty coffee bean is not easy. Only by understanding the stories behind the coffee can we enhance the coffee-drinking experience.

Coffee farmers must first pick every fruit from the coffee trees. These farmers live in remote growing areas and typically work in family labor models. Just this first step is extremely arduous, which is why specialty coffee commands higher prices.

After harvesting, the berries are poured into sorting pools, then packed into gunny sacks and carried down the mountains, with compensation calculated by weight. Subsequently, these coffee cherries must undergo wet processing to become true coffee beans.

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