Guatemala Coffee Development, New Eastern Region, Geisha Variety, New Eastern Geisha Coffee Beans Introduction

The Development of Guatemalan Coffee

Guatemala is located in the southern part of the North American continent, bordering Mexico, Honduras, Belize, and El Salvador. Two-thirds of Guatemala's territory consists of mountains and plateaus. The western region has the Cuchumatanes mountain range, while the southern region features the Sierra Madre mountain range—both belonging to volcanic zones with over 30 volcanoes. Guatemala boasts tropical rainforests, volcanic geological soil, and diverse microclimates, which impart elegant and lively acidity, clean flavors without impurities, and distinct layered coffee characteristics to Guatemalan coffee beans.

In the mid-18th century, Jesuit missionaries brought coffee seeds to Antigua. By the early 19th century, there were records of Guatemalans drinking coffee. However, Guatemala's main cash crop at that time was indigo dye. Later, damage from locusts and the emergence of synthetic dyes weakened the export of this crop. To revitalize the economy, the Guatemalan government began encouraging the cultivation of coffee and other crops. By 1856, coffee had become an important crop in Guatemala, and in 1960, the National Coffee Association (ANACAFE) was established to help enhance the national economy through coffee production and export.

Nuevo Oriente Region

Among Guatemala's 22 provinces, 20 grow coffee. Eight of these regions are particularly famous, divided into five volcanic regions and three non-volcanic regions, with coffee cultivation averaging altitudes above 1,500 meters. The non-volcanic regions include Huehuetenango, Cobán, and Nuevo Oriente. The volcanic regions include Atitlán, Antigua, Acatenango, Fraijanes, and San Marcos. Among these, Huehuetenango and Antigua are the most renowned. FrontStreet Coffee currently offers a "Flora Goddess" coffee bean from the Antigua region, as well as an entry-level精选 Guatemalan coffee bean from the Huehuetenango region. However, the recent performance from the Nuevo Oriente region has also been remarkable.

The Nuevo Oriente region is located in eastern Guatemala, near Honduras. Nuevo Oriente is the youngest coffee-producing region, with coffee cultivation beginning here only in the 1950s. This region receives abundant rainfall year-round and has high altitudes ranging from 1,500-2,050 meters, resulting in persistent mist and shorter sunshine hours, making it more humid than other producing regions. Nuevo Oriente was once one of the poorest and most isolated areas in Guatemala. Although this area was a volcanic zone in ancient times, it has resulted in soil rich in minerals. Combined with abundant rainfall and high altitudes, the coffee beans produced here exhibit quite complex and varied flavor profiles.

Geisha Variety

In the 1930s, the Geisha variety was discovered in Ethiopia. Later, in 1936, Geisha was introduced from Ethiopia to Tanzania, then to Costa Rica in 1953, and finally to Panama from Costa Rica in 1970. However, at that time, the focus was on quantity rather than quality, and the Geisha plant's branches are relatively weak, making it less favored by farmers and not widely cultivated. The specialty coffee wave later led people to focus on the inherent flavors of coffee beans and emphasize quality. By 2005, Hacienda La Esmeralda used the Geisha variety to participate in the BOP competition and auction. With its delicate floral aromas, jasmine fragrance, peach and bergamot flavors, and exceptionally high scores, this bean gained fame and broke the coffee bean auction price record, selling for over $20 per pound. This move attracted countless countries to introduce Geisha for local cultivation, with Guatemala being among them.

FrontStreet Coffee Guatemala Nuevo Oriente Geisha Coffee Beans
Region: Nuevo Oriente
Altitude: 1,500-2,050 meters
Variety: Geisha
Processing: Honey Process
Flavor Notes: White floral notes, sweet orange, bergamot, honey, toffee

FrontStreet Coffee's Nuevo Oriente Geisha uses honey processing and is lightly to medium-roasted. FrontStreet Coffee uses V60 with a 1:15 ratio at 92°C water temperature for brewing. You can smell the elegant white floral aromas, experience slight fruit acidity upon entry, with sweet orange and bergamot flavors, along with toffee-like sweetness. The mouthfeel is smooth and gentle like honey, offering rich layered variations overall.

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