Guatemala Coffee Beans | An Introduction to Entry-Level Selection of Washed Coffee Beans from Huehuetenango Region

Guatemala: Coffee Paradise in Central America

Coffee is cultivated in multiple countries across every continent. In Central America, several countries including Guatemala, Panama, Costa Rica, and Honduras grow coffee, renowned for their high-quality, high-altitude Strictly Hard Beans. Guatemala has become the world's ninth-largest coffee-producing nation.

Guatemala

Guatemala is located in the southern part of North America, a country with both coastal and mainland territories. It shares borders with Mexico, Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador, while facing the Gulf of Honduras on the Caribbean Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the south.

Two-thirds of Guatemala's territory consists of mountains and plateaus, with the western and southern regions belonging to the volcanic belt, home to over 30 volcanoes. Among these, the Tajumulco volcano reaches an altitude of 4,211 meters, making it the highest peak in Central America. Located in the tropical zone, the northern and eastern regions have a tropical rainforest climate, while the southern region has a subtropical climate, with distinct dry and wet seasons throughout the year. Guatemala's tropical rainforests, abundant rainfall, volcanic soil, and varied microclimates create coffee beans with elegant and lively acidity, clean mouthfeel, and distinctly layered flavor profiles.

Huehuetenango Region

Among Guatemala's 22 departments, 20 grow coffee. Eight regions are particularly well-known, divided into five volcanic regions and three non-volcanic regions, with coffee cultivation averaging above 1,500 meters in altitude. 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 famous, while Nuevo Oriente is a newer growing region. FrontStreet Coffee also offers a Geisha coffee bean from the Nuevo Oriente region, featuring toffee-like sweetness, sweet orange and bergamot flavors, subtle fruit acidity, honey-like mouthfeel, and a smooth, gentle texture.

Huehuetenango is one of Guatemala's non-volcanic regions and also one of the highest-altitude growing areas. Its name comes from the Nahuatl language, meaning "land of ancestors" or "land of the ancients." Huehuetenango is located in the western part of the country, at the foothills of the Cuchumatanes mountain range—the highest non-volcanic mountain range in Central America. Because significant hot air flows from Mexico's Tehuantepec tropical plains toward this mountain range, coffee in this region is protected from frost damage and can be cultivated at higher elevations. Additionally, the area has numerous rivers and water sources, making it an ideal region for cultivating premium coffee.

Coffee Varieties: Bourbon, Caturra, and Catuai

Bourbon is one of the most important Arabica varieties culturally and genetically. Although Bourbon yields relatively low production and is susceptible to major coffee plant diseases, it is renowned for its exceptional quality when grown at high altitudes. Caturra is a Bourbon variety; due to a single gene mutation, the plants grow smaller and can be planted more densely, while maintaining the same exceptional quality as Bourbon. Catuai is a hybrid between the high-yielding Mundo Novo and Caturra varieties, developed by the Agronomic Institute of Campinas (IAC) in São Paulo, Brazil. Catuai features high productivity and compact size, allowing for dense planting. Due to these high yields and suitability for high-altitude cultivation, these varieties are well-suited for growing in the Guatemalan highlands. Currently, these varieties are cultivated in multiple countries including Brazil, Honduras, and Guatemala.

Bourbon                                    Caturra                                  Catuai

FrontStreet Coffee's Guatemala Huehuetenango Selection

FrontStreet Coffee's Entry-Level Selection Guatemala Huehuetenango Washed Coffee Beans
Region: Huehuetenango
Altitude: 1,500-2,000 meters
Varieties: Bourbon, Caturra, Catuai
Processing Method: Washed
Flavor Profile: Citrus, Lemon, Berries, Nuts, Tea-like Notes

FrontStreet Coffee's Guatemala Huehuetenango coffee beans are processed using the washed method and roasted to a medium level. FrontStreet Coffee recommends brewing with V60 using a 1:15 ratio at 92°C water temperature. The cup presents subtle fruit acidity with citrus, berry, and nut flavors, a smooth mouthfeel, and a tea-like aftertaste.

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