Features
Bean Type:Arabica (Bourbon, Caturra, Pache)
Tasting Notes:Sweet Chocolate
Aroma (Smell):Chocolate
Body:High
Grown in Altitude:1350m and above
Harvest Period:December-March
Processing:Washed, sun-dried
Acidity:Medium
Taste:A persistent smooth finish accompanied by a sweet chocolate taste, with berry notes felt at the bottom during the first sip.
The Anacafe organization, established by the government in 1990, set standards for Guatemala coffee production and divided the country's production into eight main regions. These regions are as follows: Antigua, Acatenango, Atitlán, Cobán, Huehuetenango, Faijanes, San Marcos Nuevo Orientea.
Among the most well-known and appreciated are the coffees from the Antigua region. The rich volcanic soil, low humidity, abundant sun, and cool nights create an ideal environment for producing the exceptional coffees that characterize the region. The valley around the town of Antigua, from which the region takes its name, is surrounded by three volcanoes: Agua, Fuego, and Acatenango. Fuego, one of Guatemala's three active volcanoes, adds a fresh dusting of mineral-rich ash to Antigua's soil. The volcanic pumice in the soil retains moisture, helping to offset Antigua's low rainfall.
Due to the high cup quality of Antigua coffee, in the 2000s, some coffee producers from other regions attempted to market their coffee through Antigua, which had a negative impact on the region. To counter this, the AGA (Antiguan Growers Association) was established in 2000 to create traceable, certified Genuine Antigua Coffees, thus thwarting this trend. Thus, Antigua preserved and even increased its brand value.
The Santa Rosa region is located within the Antigua Coffee region, close to the Pacific Ocean, and most of its production consists of Bourbon, Caturra, and Pache varieties. Pache is a natural mutation of Typica and was first discovered in Guatemala.
Detailed Information
Guatemala is the 9th largest coffee producer worldwide. Excluding Robusta-producing countries, Guatemala is the 5th largest Arabica coffee producer.
In 2011, Guatemala's coffee plants experienced a rust problem, resulting in the loss of approximately 50 of its reserves. Until then, Guatemala, a country primarily producing coffee for general consumption, seized this situation as an opportunity and focused on specialty coffee production by importing new coffee seeds from many different regions of the world.
Since then, trees lost to rust have been replaced by higher-quality trees and more meticulous farming. During periods when coffee was produced for general consumption, Guatemala was negatively affected by price fluctuations in coffee exchanges. Coffee, which had to be sold below cost at times, began to incur losses, and some producing families abandoned production and emigrated, while the children of the remaining families emigrated.
The measures taken after 2011 have allowed the coffee sector to regain its profitability. New generations of families who had initially gone to London and the United States to receive modern agricultural, marketing, and business management training have decided to return to the country and take over the business. Thus, this crisis, cleverly turned into an opportunity, has paved the way for high-quality production and modern approaches. This modern approach to Guatemalan coffees, which we at Kahve.com enjoy featuring in our inventory, has enabled us to discover brand new flavors since 2015-2016.
