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Getting to know Guatemala's Special Coffee

16/10/2020
by coffees.gr

Volcanic soils, rich vegetation and rainfall compose unique coffees. 

Guatemala is a country in Central America, the cradle of the Mayan civilization, in the language of which its name means "Place with many trees". It is the most populous country in Central America, and consists of a mosaic of ethnicities, as it is inhabited by descendants of Europeans, mixed breeds, but also many different indigenous tribes. It is a country with beautiful natural landscapes of unique beauty, rich history and καφέ unique coffee!

Coffee lovers are sure to have tasted coffee from Guatemala, as its character is such that it is ideal for blending and we meet it in many blends of well-known companies, while in recent years it conquers the public that loves specialty coffees, like single variety selection.

Let's get to know the special coffee from the "Land of many trees" better!

 

A Short History of Coffee in Guatemala

Coffee cultivation in Guatemala began in the mid-19th century, with some plantations in the southwest of the country. However, the cultivation of coffee was slow to consolidate and mainly slow to become profitable, both due to the lack of know-how around the subject, and due to the dire economic situation of the Central American country. As most farmers were too poor to acquire land and equipment, coffee exploitation in Guatemala was originally the business of foreign companies, with all that entails for the healthy development of the industry.

However, the "Coffee Headquarters" was set up, a government agency to regulate and promote Guatemalan coffee, which in 1960 gave way to "Anacafe", the "National Coffee Organization", which remains responsible to this day for Guatemalan coffee.

Anacafe improved the branding of Guatemalan coffee, designated eight cultivation areas (Acatenango, Antigua, Atitlan, Komban, Fraihanes, Huhiu, Oriente, San Marcos), each of which, due to its different terroir, gives coffees with different characteristics. This is the famous "Guatemalan Coffee Rainbow", according to the organization. At the same time, Anacafe runs an educational program, publishes a magazine, represents the country in the World Coffee Organization, and in recent years has even organized festivals and activities for children.

Today, Guatemala is the tenth largest coffee producer in the world, with 204,000 tons of coffee per year, almost exclusively Arabica. Until a few years ago, it was the largest producer of coffee in Central America, but recently lost the lead from Honduras, a rising force in the coffee industry - although bad language says that a part of Honduran production is nothing but smuggled grain from Guatemala, baptized domestic.

 

What makes coffee in Guatemala stand out?

The coffee grown in Guatemala is almost exclusively Arabica, but what makes it special, apart from the know-how developed in recent years and the care at every stage of production, are the special climatic conditions of the country and its unique soils. - in short, what is called terroir.

Guatemala is characterized by high altitude, lush vegetation, heavy rainfall and fertile soils, all of which together favor the production of coffee. The temperature is ideal, and the altitude differences allow the cultivation of different varieties with different taste profiles. Each of the eight coffee growing areas offers a different terroir, and therefore cafes with different profiles. Five of them are adjacent to volcanoes, which means fertile soils rich in minerals and organics, others are on the edge of tropical forests, ensuring abundant rainfall, while some are located at altitudes above 2,000 meters.

The exceptional diversity in the climatic conditions, in the rainfall and the temperature, in the composition of the soil and in the microclimates compose coffees that have a unique taste, but also a remarkable variety!



What does Guatemala coffee taste like?

Despite their individual differences, the coffees coming from Guatemala have a common profile, which is characterized by balance. Guatemalan coffees are characterized by natural sweetness, moderate (to strong, sometimes) body and balanced acidity, which does not predominate in the mouth.

The delicious notes that dominate the cup are the chocolate notes, followed by the caramel notes, which after all characterize a wide range of coffees produced in Central American countries. Due to their balanced profile, Guatemalan coffees are ideal for blending, as they are ideally combined with the lively and acidic coffees from Africa, as well as with the earthy, strong and woody coffees of Asia, while mixing them with Robusta beans or other Latin American coffees give flexible blends for wide consumption. However, due to the flourishing of the coffee industry in recent years, many farmers are now cultivating premium, truly quality coffees that are marketed as specialty, single variety options.

Jacobs Selezione marries coffees from Brazil, Ethiopia, Colombia and the volcanic soils of Guatemala, in a blend with a special taste complexity, while the Italian Covim tends to enrich its blends with special coffees special from the C .

Perhaps the best choice to taste the special aromas of Guatemalan coffee is the single variety of Illy, Illy Arabica Selection Guatemala, which overflows with notes of chocolate and caramel, with a subtle aftertaste of honey and citrus.



If you are looking for a rich, balanced coffee for all hours, with rich flavors and aromas reminiscent of chocolate and caramel, Guatemalan coffees are probably the best choice.