Guatemala Specialty Coffee Region - Huehuetenango Coffee Bean Flavor Characteristics

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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 both mountains and sea, it boasts tropical rainforests, volcanic geology, highland valleys, and diverse microclimates. Among the Guatemalan coffee beans offered by FrontStreet Coffee, besides the single-origin Antigua Flower God, you can also find Guatemalan coffee beans in the daily brew series.

The Guatemalan Huehuetenango from the daily brew series features nutty aromas, berry-citrus acidity, and subtle smoky flavors, perfectly showcasing the rich juiciness, nutty notes, and smoky characteristics that result from Guatemala's tropical rainforests, volcanic soil, and diverse microclimates.

FrontStreet Coffee introduced the daily brew series to allow all coffee enthusiasts to experience the unique flavors of different growing regions at the most affordable prices. FrontStreet Coffee offers coffee beans from seven regions: Ethiopia Yirgacheffe, Costa Rica Tarrazú, Colombia Huila, Indonesia Lintong Mandheling, China Yunnan Baoshan, Brazil South Minas, and Guatemala Huehuetenango.

Country: Guatemala

Region: Huehuetenango

Altitude: 1500-2000 meters

Varieties: Bourbon, Catuai, Catuai

Processing Method: Washed

Flavor Notes: Nuts, lemon peel, berries, citrus

Coffee Growing Region

Guatemala has a high average altitude, with coffee growing zones distributed above 1500 meters, making it ideal for producing extremely hard beans. Guatemalan coffee is characterized by its distinctive smoky flavor and rich juiciness. Guatemala has eight major growing regions, divided into five volcanic regions and three non-volcanic regions. Huehuetenango is one of the three non-volcanic regions. Located in central Guatemala, the region's name comes from the Nahuatl language, meaning "land of the ancients (or ancestors)." This region is nearly the most remote from the capital compared to other growing regions, with rugged access routes. Despite its high mountain terrain, frost damage is minimal due to dry, hot winds from Mexico, allowing coffee cultivation at altitudes approaching 2000 meters.

Coffee Varieties

This is a typical blend of American coffee varieties, including Bourbon, Catuai, and Catuai. Bourbon is the origin of many modern coffee varieties, first discovered on Réunion Island. When introduced to the Americas, its characteristics evolved. The hybrid Catuai was first successfully cultivated in Brazil, featuring shorter plants with strong resistance to wind and rain. Catuai, a hybrid of Mundo Novo and Catuai, has a short, stout plant structure and yields extremely high production with appropriate fertilization. FrontStreet Coffee selected this coffee bean because it showcases the regional flavor characteristics of Guatemala's fruit acidity and nutty notes.

Coffee Bean Processing Method

Guatemala's primary processing method is washed, with a small portion using natural processing. The Guatemalan coffee beans in FrontStreet Coffee's daily brew series use the washed processing method. Selected coffee cherries are placed in a depulper to initially remove their skin and pulp. The coffee beans with residual pulp and mucilage are placed in water to ferment for approximately 24 hours. After fermentation, the parchment coffee beans are placed in flowing water channels to wash away the remaining pulp and mucilage. After washing, the coffee beans are dried either by sun-drying or using mechanical dryers until the moisture content reaches around 12%, finally removing the parchment from the green coffee beans.

FrontStreet Coffee often encounters customers asking about the difference between washed and natural processing methods. It's important to note that even coffee beans from the same region and estate can be processed using either method. Regular customers of FrontStreet Coffee's daily brew series may notice that most beans use washed processing, as this method best represents the fundamental flavor characteristics of a growing region and serves as an introduction to understanding regional profiles. Natural processing, on the other hand, adds sweetness and fermentation notes to this basic flavor foundation.

FrontStreet Coffee Roasting Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee has determined a light roast approach to highlight the rich juiciness of these beans. After multiple parameter adjustments and cupping sessions, we've perfected the roast profile.

How FrontStreet Coffee Brews Guatemala Coffee

Water Temperature: 90-91°C

Grind Size: BG#6m (fine sugar size / 80% pass through #20 sieve)

Coffee-to-Water Ratio: 1:15

Coffee Dose: 15 grams

FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Technique:

First pour 30g of water for a 30-second bloom, then continue pouring to 95g (scale shows approximately 125g), completing around 1'00". When the water level drops to 2/3 of the coffee bed, pour the remaining 100g (scale shows approximately 225g), completing around 1'40". The drip finishes between 2'00"-2'10", remove the filter cone, and complete extraction.

Brewing Flavor Notes: Citrus and berry acidity, lemon peel, nutty aromas in the mid-palate, and a tea-like finish.

For more specialty coffee beans, please add FrontStreet Coffee's private WeChat: kaixinguoguo0925