Coffee origin
Guatemalan coffee: chocolate, brown sugar and volcano regions
Guatemala was one of the first countries to sell its growing regions as separate origins, so the region on the bag tells you a lot.
- Usual processing
- washed
- Species
- arabica
- Altitude
- 1300–2000 m
- Typical notes
- dark chocolate, brown sugar, red apple, stone fruit
Profiles are typical descriptions from the sources on each page. Every farm, harvest and roast is different, so read the roaster's own tasting notes too.
How it tastes
According to Melbourne Coffee Merchants, Antigua coffees are heavier bodied with dark chocolate, brown sugar and red apple, while Huehuetenango coffees are floral, complex and very fruit-driven.
Where it comes from
The national coffee association Anacafé names eight main regions: Antigua, Acatenango, Atitlán, Cobán, Huehuetenango, Fraijanes, San Marcos and Nuevo Oriente, and 20 of the country's 22 departments grow coffee. Nearly all of it is arabica, and most is washed, because water is plentiful. Coffee grows high, generally from 1,300 to 2,000 metres. In rainy Cobán the cherries ripen so slowly that pickers may pass up to ten times in a season.
How to enjoy it
Antigua-style coffees with chocolate and body make an excellent espresso and hold up well in milk. Fruit-forward Huehuetenango lots are lovely as filter coffee.
Shop Guatemala coffee
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Sources
- Barista Hustle: The coffee buyer's guide to Guatemala
- Melbourne Coffee Merchants: Guatemala origin guide
We checked these sources on the date above. Spotted a mistake? Please tell us through the contact page.