Guatemala coffee growing area cultivation grade flavor introduction

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Coffee history

In the 1850s, coffee was brought to Guatemala by missionaries. In the 19th century, with the invention of European synthetic dyes, Guatemala's original important export product, indigo (indigo, a plant dye) industry was hit, coffee gradually became an important export, coffee cultivation gradually expanded. By the end of the 19th century, coffee had played an important role in Guatemalan politics and economy. Large coffee farmers had great influence on the political situation. Under the leadership of a president born as a coffee farmer, the government promoted coffee cultivation through free coffee seedlings and tax policies.

In 1944, after the democratically elected president came to power, the reform policy was implemented and the cheese of the vested interests was overthrown under the planning of the US intelligence service. Guatemala was plunged into a half-century-long civil war until 1996.

The civil war damaged the original coffee industry, but ironically, the original species of coffee in Guatemala, mainly bourbon, was preserved.

Guatemala's coffee industry plays an important role in the domestic economy, with coffee exports accounting for 1/3 of total foreign exchange revenues. Guatemala was once the largest coffee producer in China and the United States until it was overtaken by Honduras in 2011.

Coffee positioning

After the end of the civil war in 1996, the coffee industry in Guatemala began to revive, when the national coffee market was flooded by Robota beans in Vietnam.

In the 1990s, the World Development Bank promoted coffee cultivation in Asia and provided financial support for coffee production in relevant countries. a few years later, Vietnam became a big coffee producer and the international coffee market became the vast ocean of robusta beans in the country. the price of raw coffee beans has fallen.

In this context, Guatemala chose to focus on the production of high-grade coffee, with the advantage of bourbon native species retained as a result of the civil war, to meet the needs of the international high-end coffee market, focusing on high-altitude high-quality Arabica beans and boutique coffee market. And began to hold COE events in 2001.

Coffee producing area

20 of Guatemala's 22 provinces grow coffee. In line with the preference of the international coffee market for origin certification, Guatemala divides the country into eight coffee producing areas on the basis of geography, climate, coffee characteristics and cup test performance, namely: Antigua Coffee (Antigua Coffee), Freganes Plateau (Fraijanes Plateau), Vivian Heights (Highland Huehue), San Marcos Volcano (Volconic San Marcos). New Orient (New Oriente), traditional Attland (Traditional Atitlan), Rainforest Koban (Rainforest Coban), Arcatel Nango Valley (Acatenango Valley). Each production area has its own representative color (it feels like the color aid of star fans * ^ ◎ ^ *), and designed the slogan-"Rainbow Choice", A Rainbow of Choices.

Coffee planting

98% of coffee in Guatemala is grown in shade. Official sources say shading is a tradition in Guatemala, and people have learned to grow shade since coffee first spread to Guatemala.

At the national level Guatemala promotes the coffee forest system and details its agro-forest system in the form of public information documents.

Shading planting has many benefits to coffee, such as providing shelter for coffee, adjusting the intensity and quantity of sunlight to protect coffee from exposure, protecting coffee from wind and rain, slowing down the impact of Rain Water erosion on coffee trees and their roots when heavy rain comes, the accumulation of fallen leaves of shade trees to provide nourishment for coffee trees, reducing the growth of weeds, helping to store water and improve soil moisture. Slow down the ripening rate of coffee fruit, improve the performance in the cup, and make the acidity and mellow performance better.

The coffee harvest season is about January to March, and the difference in harvest time is mainly related to altitude. Pick by hand.

Coffee treatment

Traditionally, it is washed and dried in the sun. Although many producing areas are remote and have a large number of small-scale farmers, Guatemala's rich natural water resources facilitate wet treatment, with 35 major rivers and more than 1000 lakes and lagoons making it possible for most producers to wash.

Coffee grade

Traditional Guatemalan coffee is graded according to the altitude at which it grows:

SHB,strictly hard bean, extremely hard beans, ≥ 1370m

HB,hard bean, hard beans, 1370-1066m

Prime-Extra Prime, selected, 762m-1066m

Under the background of boutique coffee, on the basis of the original grade, the coffee from 8 boutique producing areas can be marked with their respective producing area names, representing different flavors, but if the cup test results of some coffees in the producing areas are not consistent with the flavor of the producing areas, they can only be exported with the regular grade of SHB.

Coffee flavor

The eight boutique coffee producing areas have their own characteristics. on the whole, Guatemalan coffee brings a clear cup experience with elegant acidity, full and round, with a floral aroma and a clean, long finish. In addition, coffee from some producing areas also brings a wonderful smoky flavor.

Coffee organization

Anacafe, which represents Guatemalan coffee producers, was founded in 1960 and is a national coffee organization in Guatemala. It represents Guatemalan coffee in international coffee affairs and is responsible for the marketing of Guatemalan coffee. Its income comes from service fees for coffee exports. The systematic division of the eight major producing areas is the work of the organization.