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What Are the Characteristics of Guatemala Washed Processing? Guatemala Washed Coffee Beans Offer Clean and Mellow Flavor

Published: 2026-01-28 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/28, Professional coffee knowledge exchange More coffee bean information Please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account cafe_style ) FrontStreet Coffee - Guatemala Washed Coffee Coffee was introduced to Guatemala in 1750 by Jesuit priests. By the late 19th century, German colonists had significantly developed the local coffee industry. For over a century, coffee has remained Guatemala's economic cornerstone

Professional coffee knowledge exchange, more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style)

FrontStreet Coffee - Guatemala Washed Coffee

Coffee was introduced to Guatemala in 1750 by Jesuit priests. By the late 19th century, German colonists had greatly developed the local coffee industry. For more than a hundred years, coffee has been the economic lifeblood of Guatemala. The crisscrossing mountainous terrain, mountains and highlands formed by many volcanoes over 3,000 meters high, and the nearby Atlantic and Pacific oceans create more than 300 microclimates. These geographical factors have given rise to 8 clearly defined regions, each with its unique flavor profile. The main varieties are Bourbon, Typica, and Caturra. Guatemala produces high-quality, high-altitude, strictly hard Central American coffee beans, ranking as the 9th largest coffee bean producer in the world.

Guatemala coffee beans belong to the Bourbon variety and are one of the more acidic varieties. The flavor is mellow and slightly wild. Even without drinking, simply smelling it is a pleasure—your thoughts will drift far away with its unique aroma, freeing you from the cage of life and work. When you take a sip, the enticing rich aroma swirls in your mouth. The first sip might seem ordinary, but as the coffee slowly cools, multiple fruit aromas release a subtle sweetness that surprises you, while a faint smoky flavor leaves you with a memorable aftertaste.

Guatemala recognizes the importance of high altitude for specialty coffee, making it one of the few countries that directly grades coffee by planting altitude. In Guatemala, the highest altitude beans are called SHB (Strictly Hard Bean), only qualifying for this grade if grown above 1,370 meters. The next level down is HB (Hard Bean), with altitude requirements between 1,200-1,300 meters. Below that are SH (Semi-Hard), EPW (Extra Prime Washed), PW (Prime Washed), EGW (Extra Good Washed), and so on. In the future, when you buy Guatemala beans, you'll know their grade at a glance just by looking at the label.

SHB grade strictly hard beans are recognized for their hard texture and difficulty in roasting. However, due to the large temperature difference between day and night, the coffee beans produced are large with smooth surfaces, presenting an elegant appearance and an extremely mellow taste. The coffee beans produced by the Hunapu project are SHB grade grown at altitudes between 1,500-1,800 meters, with harvest season from December to April of the following year.

The aroma of a cup of coffee concentrates its life story: origin terroir, variety, harvest maturity and processing method, roasting, grinding, and extraction—it is the journey and destination of a coffee bean's life. The charm of Antigua coffee lies in its balanced fruit acidity and aroma, with a unique charcoal-like smoky flavor. Earthquakes and volcanoes once destroyed this originally prosperous city in an instant, and more than two hundred years of splendor vanished from then on.

Antigua never recovered its vitality. The city after the earthquake was preserved intact as a whole, making it a specimen-like historical museum. After Antigua returned to simplicity with its glamour washed away, people discovered the unique aroma of local coffee and brought it to people all over the world. Today, Antigua coffee enjoys the reputation of being the world's best quality coffee and is praised by coffee connoisseurs as one of the world's top coffees.

Knowledge Point

The rate of soluble substances in coffee particles is related to the surface area of contact between coffee grounds and water.

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