The Soil First
The ground beneath most of Guatemala’s coffee farms is not ground at all, not in the way that farmers in Kansas or Iowa understand it. It is the detritus of eruptions, the ash and pumice and lapilli that fell from volcanoes whose names are as familiar to Guatemalan children as the names of their grandparents: Agua, Acatenango, Fuego, Tolimán, San Pedro, Santa María. Thirty-seven volcanoes — and three of them are active.
The soil that coffee grows in is volcanic loam — a mixture of sand, silt, clay, and organic matter deposited by eruptions over thousands of years. It is rich in minerals, particularly potassium and magnesium, and it drains well. The altitude is high, between 1,300 and 2,000 meters in most coffee regions, which means the temperature is cool, and the cool temperature slows the ripening of the coffee cherry, allowing the sugars to have more time to develop.
But not all Guatemalan coffee comes from volcanic soil. Huehuetenango, in the far northwest, is grown on limestone soils — much older than the volcanoes — giving the coffee a different character: brighter, more acidic, more winey.
“The soil is the first thing you taste in Guatemalan coffee. If you don’t believe me, try a side-by-side of Antigua and Huehuetenango. The difference is in the earth.”
How Coffee Got Here
Coffee was brought to Guatemala by the Jesuits in 1750. The German immigration of the 1870s to 1900s was a turning point, bringing the finca system — large family estates with their own processing facilities and labor force. The civil war from 1960 to 1996 disrupted coffee production in rural areas, and many farmers were displaced or killed. Anacafé, the national coffee association founded in 1960, has played a role in the development of the industry, particularly in the regional classification system used today.
The Growing Regions
Guatemala has six main coffee regions, each with its own character.
Antigua, surrounded by three volcanoes at 1,500 to 1,700 meters, is known for chocolate and floral notes and structured acidity. Huehuetenango, the highest region at 1,500 to 2,000 meters with limestone soil, produces bright, winey coffees with stone fruit notes. Atitlán, surrounded by four volcanoes at 1,500 to 1,700 meters, is known for full body and floral aromatics. Cobán, in the cloud forest at 1,300 to 1,500 meters with mixed soils, produces fruity, mildly acidic coffees. Fraijanes, near Guatemala City at 1,400 to 1,800 meters with volcanic pumice soil, produces balanced, chocolatey coffees. Xinca, in the southeast, is the most versatile.
“Each region has its own voice. Antigua speaks in chocolate and flowers. Huehuetenango speaks in wine and stone fruit. Atitlán speaks in aroma and body.”
In the Cup
Guatemalan coffee is among the most distinctive in Central America. Each region plays its own note, and together they create a harmony that is unmistakably Guatemalan. Washed processing dominates, producing clean cups that showcase the terroir of each region. The commitment to single-region and single-farm lots has helped elevate Guatemala’s profile in the specialty market.
“To drink Guatemalan coffee is to drink the earth and the sky and the people and the history of a country that is defined by volcanoes. It is a privilege, and it is a pleasure, and it is a responsibility.” — Eric Bakken, Contour Coffee