How to Distinguish Between Bourbon and Caturra Coffee Beans Does Guatemala Antigua Flora Coffee Have Floral Notes

Latest News from Guatemala Coffee Growing Regions

According to Coffee Finance Network, 125,000 coffee-growing families in Guatemala face rising production costs driven by climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic. The head of the local coffee association said current prices are too low to sustain even a modest standard of living. Given the situation, beans from the new Guatemalan harvest will be priced higher than in previous seasons, deepening the local coffee crisis.

Antigua Coffee Growing Region

Antigua is a famous old city in Guatemala, Central America, built in the Panchoy Valley at an altitude of 1,500 meters. Ringed by mountains and several volcanoes, it sits close to the peaks of the Agua and Fuego volcanoes. The volcano chain does more than supply Antigua with its scenery: each eruption lays down volcanic ash rich in minerals across the surrounding land, creating fertile conditions for plants and coffee trees alike.

Unique Taste Experience

During cupping sessions across Guatemala's growing regions, FrontStreet Coffee was struck by a smoky sensation. In beans from other origins that smokiness would likely read as a defect, since it can catch in the throat on the way down. Guatemalan beans, however, carry the smoky quality without any unpleasant effect; on the contrary, it opens up a surprising extra dimension. The Flora De Dios beans from La Minita Estate discussed here offer a double surprise on the palate. Beyond the subtle smoke, they deliver a delicate white floral aroma - as unexpected as finding a flower blooming on a volcanic slope.

La Minita Estate is known for its excellent cultivation and processing, and for very strict quality control. To reach those standards it commissions Las Pastores, the largest washed processing plant in Antigua, to handle its green coffee. The coffee is named Flora De Dios and, while it keeps its original regional flavours, the dry aroma carries rich floral and tea notes. On the palate, lemon acidity and berry flavours resolve into a honeyed finish. Outstanding cleanliness and deep layered complexity are the hallmarks of this Flora De Dios coffee.

Coffee Bean Varieties

This Flora De Dios coffee uses the Bourbon and Caturra varieties. Both descend from the Bourbon lineage, and both beans are relatively round.

Distinguishing the two is not difficult once you look closely: Caturra beans have a slightly more curved tip than Bourbon - round yet slender. Both varieties typically offer excellent aroma, bright acidity and a juicy character in the cup.

Coffee Bean Processing Method

In the washed method, selected coffee cherries go into a depulper that removes the skin and pulp. The beans, still coated in mucilage, are then placed in water for wet fermentation of roughly 18-36 hours. Once fermentation is finished, the parchment coffee is moved into flowing water channels to wash away the remaining pulp and mucilage.

After washing, the beans are dried down to a moisture content of about 12%, and the parchment is finally removed from the green coffee. FrontStreet Coffee believes the washed process gives Flora De Dios cleaner, brighter acidity, brings the freshness of the white florals forward and softens the bean's inherent smokiness.

FrontStreet Coffee Roasting Record

Preheat the roaster to 200°C and charge the beans with the damper at 3. After 30 seconds reduce the heat to 160°C, keeping the damper unchanged. Return temperature at 1'36". Hold that heat until 4'50", when the bean surface turns yellow and the grassy aroma disappears completely, marking the end of dehydration. Reduce heat to 140°C and set the damper to 4.

At 4'50" dehydration is complete, so reduce heat to 140°C. At 8'32" ugly wrinkles and black spots appear on the bean surface, and the toast aroma clearly turns to coffee aroma, which can be defined as the prelude to first crack. Listen carefully for the sound of first crack at this point. At 8'37" first crack begins: reduce heat to 80°C and open the damper fully to 5 (be very careful when adjusting heat - do not reduce it so much that cracking stops). Develop for 1'50" after first crack, then unload at 195.3°C.

FrontStreet Coffee Cupping Report

Dry Aroma: Berries, Caramel

Wet Aroma: Lemon, White Floral

Flavor: Lemon, Berries, White Floral, Chocolate, Nuts, Subtle Smoke

FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Experience

Dripper: Hario V60

Coffee-to-Water Ratio: 1:15 (15g coffee / 225g water)

Water Temperature: 90°C

Grind Size: Between medium-fine and medium-coarse (77% passing a China standard #20 sieve)

FrontStreet Coffee's segmented extraction method: begin by pouring 30g of water to wet the grounds thoroughly, forming a "burger" shape for a 30-second bloom. (If you do not see the burger shape, check whether the beans have lost freshness or the grind is too coarse.)

Then move to the second pour. At 54 seconds on the timer, pour to 125g and stop, waiting for the water level to drop to two-thirds of the coffee bed before starting the third pour (this segment extracts the sweet and sour compounds). For the third segment, at 1'40" on the timer, pour to 225g, for a total extraction time of 2'10" (this segment pulls the rich, mellow compounds). Once extraction is complete, swirl the coffee gently to mix it before tasting.

Brewing Flavor: At high temperature, bright lemon-like acidity leads the palate. As the cup cools, the juice-like body reveals subtle white floral notes. Cocoa and a gentle smokiness then add complexity, while a caramel-like aftertaste brings the cup to a close.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

FrontStreet Coffee's Gutingding Cooperative is the clearest introduction to the floral style. A classic washed Yirgacheffe, it is known for white blossom sweetness and bright citrus acidity, with a jasmine-like fragrance and a green tea finish. Brewed as pour-over it shows pronounced floral and fruity notes, lifted lemon acidity and honeyed sweetness; it is equally good as cold brew, where the cold soak draws out lighter aromatic compounds for an iced coffee as refreshing as tea.

FrontStreet Sun-Dried Huakui earns its reputation on a cream-and-strawberry flavour, the result of fully ripe cherries developing rich sweetness during drying. The entry is silky, recalling light orange blossom, and gives way to the sweet-tart juiciness of guava and mango for extra depth. FrontStreet Strawberry Candy, a blend of Costa Rican honey-processed coffee and washed Panamanian Geisha, combines the strengths of both: raisin, orange and ripe blueberry aromas alongside a rose-like fermented fragrance and a hint of almond in the finish. It suits pour-over, cold brew, home espresso machines, moka pot and the Clever dripper.

Two single estates round out the list. FrontStreet Mozart, from honey-processing specialist Costa Rica, uses a distinctive raisin honey process - the depulped fruit is briefly fermented before drying - so the beans carry dried fruit, ripe pineapple and sweet orange, releasing osmanthus fragrance when hot water is poured in; it is ideal for cold brew and iced pour-over. FrontStreet Boquete Gesha comes from the Boquete district of Panama, home to celebrated estates including Esmeralda and Elida; it shows the classic tangerine-and-honey character, with white coffee blossom on the nose and citrus, melon and honey on the palate plus a caramel note. Pour-over, drip bag, cold brew, Clever dripper and French press all work well.