What are the characteristics of Guatemala coffee and how to grade coffee beans

Central America is located in the connecting zone between the North and South American continents, where the topography is mainly mountains and hills, and there is a volcanic belt of more than 1300 kilometers on one side of the Pacific Ocean. The fertile soil given by volcanic ash makes the agriculture in the region very developed, mainly for the production and export of bananas, coffee, sugar cane and other tropical cash crops. Therefore, in Central America, there are many countries famous for growing coffee, such as Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala and so on. Among them, Guatemalan coffee is famous for its high-quality alpine hard beans.

Guatemala is located in the north of Central America, and the northern part of the country is mainly composed of tropical rain forests with low posters, so coffee is mainly grown in the south-central part of the country, all because the west and south belong to volcanic zones, with about 30 volcanoes and several mountains. Guatemala is located in the tropics, and the mountains in the south have a subtropical climate, which is mainly divided into two dry and wet seasons in a year, but at higher elevations, the temperature is mild and sunny throughout the year, coupled with fertile volcanic soil, there is a high-quality environment suitable for coffee cultivation.

Coffee was first brought to Guatemala by Jesuits in the mid-18th century and was grown in the city of Antigua, but at that time Guatemala mainly exported indigo, a plant dye. However, the destruction of locusts and the emergence of artificial fuels affected indigo exports, which led to a recession in Guatemala, so it turned to growing coffee.

But at that time, during the Spanish colonial period, the coffee estate was also in the hands of the Spaniards, and the local natives could only take care of and harvest in the manor, when the Guatemalan coffee industry developed. In the 20th century, after the independence of Guatemala, the civil war broke out, which seriously affected the coffee industry. The civil war did not end until 1996, and the coffee industry began to develop steadily.

There are 22 provinces in Guatemala, 20 of which grow coffee and are divided into 10 coffee-producing areas, which are divided into volcanic and non-volcanic areas, including Huehuetenango, Coban and Nuevo Oriente. Volcanic areas include Atitlan, Antigua, Acatenango, Fraijanes and San Marcos.

One of the most famous is Huehuetenango, which is located in the northwest highlands of Guatemala and has the Kuchu Martanas Mountains (Cuchumatanes), so it is the highest altitude producing area in Guatemala, growing 1800-2100 meters above sea level. And the climate of the producing area is warm and dry, because a large amount of hot air blows to the mountains from the tropical plains of Tehuantepec, Mexico, so the coffee in this producing area is protected from frost even at a higher altitude. Although the climate is dry, the region has several river waters and sufficient water resources to support irrigation, enabling the region to cultivate quality coffee.

Guatemala, like most Central American producing countries, takes altitude as the main standard for grading, but there are several versions of the standards for the classification of altitude in Guatemala, and even the division standards for each producing area are different. According to the general version released by the Guatemala National Coffee Association (ANACAFE), it is divided into SHB (STRICTLY HARD BEAN, above sea level 1370 meters), SEMI-HARD/HARD (1066-1370 meters above sea level), and EPW (EXTRA PRIME WASHED). Below 1066 meters above sea level.

Qianjie coffee rations bean series also includes this well-known producing area. This entry-level selection of Vivette Nanguo coffee beans is made in bourbon, Catuai and Kaddura. It is washed and recooked with slight acidity, citrus, berry and nutty flavors, with a soft taste and a tea finish. Qianjie Coffee believes that the coffee beans produced by Guatemala Vivette South Fruit have a typical extremely hard bean flavor, although the overall flavor is not balanced and the flower and fruit aroma is weak, but its soft acidity and nutty flavor can show the flavor of Guatemala already in Central and North America.

For more information about coffee producing areas, please scan the code directly and follow: coffee comments.

Long press the QR code to follow: