A brief History of Coffee in Guatemala: characteristics of altitude graded Coffee and five Common producing areas

For professional baristas, please follow the coffee workshop (Wechat official account cafe_style)

Guatemala is only three times the size of Taiwan.

However, it is rich in natural resources, which makes Guaguo coffee very amorous.

The common tonality is elegant and lively, clean and layered.

With green malic acid, jasmine, orange peel, green pepper, cocoa, some finish will have a strong smoky flavor.

Diverse and rich regional taste, ever-changing charming aroma

Surprisingly, almost half of them are boutique beans (45% belong to boutique grade).

What kind of style can make always high-quality coffee?

In addition to one's own qualifications, there is also a process of hard work.

Let's take a look at the 72 changes of Guatemalan coffee!

A brief history of coffee in Guatemala:

The earliest literature points out that Guatemala knew how to grow and drink coffee as early as 1747.

In 1845, with the establishment of the Coffee planting and Promotion Committee, coffee became an important cash crop in the region.

With the vigorous promotion of the government, coffee accounted for 90% of Guatemala's total export in 1880.

In order to achieve greater production, the authorities targeted the aboriginal land, forcing them to sell the land and move to more barren places.

The second exploitation came from large enterprises during the Great Depression of the global economy in 1930.

Jorge Ubico, the authority, strives to reduce costs in order to stimulate the export market.

At the same time, it also transfers more power and land to the United Fruit Enterprise Center (UFC) in the United States.

After Jorge Ubico stepped down, the incoming president, Arbenz, wanted to reclaim some land in UFC and redistribute it to farmers.

In 1954, the Arbenz government was overthrown by a coup launched by CIA of the CIA.

Poverty, uneven distribution of land, famine, discrimination against indigenous peoples and other factors led to civil war (1960-1966)

However, these problems still exist today.

Guatemala Coffee Mini File:

In terms of the main varieties of coffee, 98% is Arabica, but there are still 2% robusta varieties.

The treatment method is mainly washing and a small amount of it is in the sun. It is currently the 10th largest coffee producer in the world.

Guatemala altitude classification:

Like many Central American and Central countries, Guatemala has its own growth altitude classification:

Prime: planted at 750 to 900m above sea level.

Extra Prime: planted at an altitude of 900m to 1050m.

Semi Hard Bean: plant 1050m to 1220m above sea level.

Hard Bean (HB): planted at 1220-1300m above sea level.

Strictly Hard Bean (SHB): planted above 1300 meters above sea level.

Guatemalan coffee features:

Guatemala also has tropical rain forests, volcanic geology, plateau valleys and ever-changing microclimate.

Plus several rainfall patterns and fertile soil

It makes Guatemalan coffee varied in style and rich in tonality.

There are slender, elegant, sweet, fruity, but also more complex, rich, rich, with chocolate, toffee aromas.

Generally speaking, there are five major producing areas:

Vivette Nanguo (Huehuetenango): the highest altitude, less rainfall, late ripening, fruit and flower aroma, recognized as the best coffee producing area.

Antigua: dry climate, sweet coffee with nutty, spicy and cocoa flavors.

Coban: rain forest area, high rainfall and humidity, coffee taste is thick, with fruit and spicy aromas.

Atotlan: can be called the classic of Guatemala, with lemon, chocolate aromas, but also a thick taste.

Acatenango: hot climate and fertile volcanic soil, where coffee acidity and layers are relatively rich.