How Do Washed Guatemala Coffee Beans Taste? Introduction to Guatemala Coffee Bean Characteristics

An Introduction to Guatemala Finca La Bolsa Coffee

Guatemala is bordered by Mexico to the north and by El Salvador and Honduras to the south, with volcanoes scattered across the country. This nation, which lives primarily from coffee cultivation and export, offers fertile soil suited to coffee trees, an ideal climate, abundant water, and high-altitude growing conditions. It is also home to many renowned regions such as Antigua, Huehuetenango, and Coban. Of these, Huehuetenango and Antigua are the best known among coffee lovers. Huehuetenango sits in the northwestern highlands with growing altitudes reaching 1800-2100 meters--the highest coffee region in the country--and is famous for its exceptional beans.

The Washed Processing Method

The washed method dates to the mid-18th century. In washing, the fruit's pulp is removed first, then fermentation tanks break down the mucilage still clinging to the parchment; the beans are washed once more and finally dried.

Washing allows impurities and defective beans to be removed at every step, so the raw beans look uniform and are generally regarded as high quality. The biggest drawback, however, is that beans can easily pick up fermentation taints during tank fermentation. Beans typically acquire off-flavors when fermentation tanks are poorly managed and maintained: while mucilage-coated parchment sits in the tanks, shifts in microorganisms can contaminate the lot with fermentation odors. Washed processing also demands relatively expensive equipment and considerable labor across its many steps.

Guatemala Finca La Bolsa

Region: Huehuetenango

Estate: Finca La Bolsa

Altitude: 1500 meters

Variety: Pacamara

Processing: Washed

This La Bolsa lot is genuinely impressive, with distinct yet gentle acidity and sweetness. It shows lemon, passion fruit, and plum acidity against brown-sugar aromatics, and the flavors keep evolving as the cup cools.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Washed processing--flooding, pulping, fermenting to strip the mucilage, rinsing, drying, then hulling--leaves more of the bean's own character intact while adding bright fruit acidity and a clean, fresh profile. If that describes the cup you are after, FrontStreet's washed lots are the place to start.

FrontStreet's Worka Cooperative Yirgacheffe is a standout washed Ethiopian: the Guodingding cooperative, an experienced processing team from the village of that name, produces coffee so refined and clean it made their reputation. The washed process lets jasmine florals and bright citrus acidity take center stage, and roasted light-to-medium the cup unfolds into green tea and honey tones--lovely as pour-over, cold brew, or even espresso.

Another washed classic is FrontStreet's Kenya Little Tomato: Kenya excels at double-washed processing, repeating the wash-and-soak cycle to push a vivid juiciness to the fore. Expect cherry tomato, dark plum, snow pear, black sugar plum, and yellow sugar aromas in an acidic, multi-juicy cup that many coffee players count among their favorites. And for the best possible expression of washed balance, FrontStreet's Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1--washed to suit the island's shorter sunlight hours--delivers hazelnut, cream, chocolate, and caramel in a perfectly even, balanced cup.