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, the Guatemalan government says, though some counts go higher, and three of them are active, which is to say, they are not done. Volcán de Fuego, which translates to Fire Mountain, erupted in 2018, again in 2019, and again in 2020, sending ash clouds over Antigua and Guatemala City, closing airports, and reminding everyone, as if they needed reminding, that the land is alive. The soil that coffee grows in is volcanic loam, which is a fancy way of saying it is a mixture of sand and silt and clay and organic matter that has been deposited by eruptions over thousands of years. It is rich in minerals, particularly potassium and magnesium, which are good for coffee plants, and it drains well, which is also good for coffee plants, because coffee roots do not like to sit in water. The altitude is high, too, 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, which means the sugars have more time to develop, which means the coffee tastes better. This is not a theory. It is a fact that has been observed by farmers and roasters and cuppers for more than a century. But not all Guatemalan coffee comes from volcanic soil. Huehuetenango, the department in the far northwest of the country, is the highest coffee region in Guatemala, and much of it is grown on limestone soils, not volcanic. The limestone is old, much older than the volcanoes, and it gives the coffee a different character, one that is brighter and more acidic and more winey than the coffee grown on volcanic soils. This is a distinction that is important to understand, because it is one of the reasons why Guatemalan coffee is so diverse, and why it is so distinctive. > “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 not always in Guatemala. It was brought there by the Jesuits in 1750, who planted it in the highlands of the country, where the climate was cool and the soil was rich. The Jesuits were expelled from Guatemala in 1767, but the coffee plants remained, and they were tended by local farmers, who learned how to grow them and how to process them and how to sell them. By the 1870s, coffee had become Guatemala’s primary export, and it remained so for more than a century. The German immigration of the 1870s to 1900s was a turning point in the history of Guatemalan coffee. The Germans brought with them the finca system, which is a system of large family estates that are worked by laborers who live on the estate. The fincas were designed to be self-sufficient, with their own processing facilities and their own labor force. The system was efficient, and it produced high-quality coffee, and it is still in use today, although the scale of the fincas has changed, and the labor force is no longer as large as it once was. The civil war in Guatemala, which lasted from 1960 to 1996, disrupted coffee production in rural areas, and many farmers were displaced or killed. The war ended in 1996, but the scars remain, and the coffee industry has not fully recovered. Anacafé, the national coffee association, was founded in 1960, and it has played a role in the development of the industry, particularly in the development of the regional classification system that is used today. > “The Germans brought the finca, but the Guatemalans brought the coffee. It was a partnership that lasted a century.”
The Growing Regions
Guatemala has six main coffee regions, each with its own character and its own soil and its own altitude and its own microclimate. The regions are Antigua, Huehuetenango, Atitlán, Cobán, Fraijanes, and Xinca. Antigua is the most famous of the regions, and for good reason. It is located in the Sacatepéquez department, and it is surrounded by three volcanoes: Agua, Acatenango, and Fuego. The altitude is between 1,500 and 1,700 meters, and the soil is volcanic loam. The coffee from Antigua is known for its chocolate and floral notes and its structured acidity. It is a balanced coffee, and it is easy to drink, which is why it is so popular. Huehuetenango is the highest coffee region in Guatemala, and it is also the most distinctive. The altitude is between 1,500 and 2,000 meters, and the soil is limestone, not volcanic. The coffee from Huehuetenango is known for its bright acidity and its winey character and its stone fruit notes. It is a complex coffee, and it is not for everyone, but those who like it, like it a lot. Atitlán is located in the Lake Atitlán basin, and it is surrounded by four volcanoes. The coffee from Atitlán is known for its full body and its floral notes and its aromatic character. It is a rich coffee, and it is often compared to the coffee from Antigua, but it has a different character. Cobán is located in the central highlands of Guatemala, and it is known for its cloud forest and its subtropical climate. The altitude is between 1,300 and 1,500 meters, and the soil is a mixture of volcanic and alluvial. The coffee from Cobán is known for its fruity notes and its mild acidity and its clean finish. It is a versatile coffee, and it is often used in blends. Fraijanes is located near Guatemala City, and it is known for its volcanic pumice soil. The altitude is between 1,400 and 1,800 meters, and the soil is rich in minerals. The coffee from Fraijanes is known for its balanced character and its chocolate and nut notes and its clean finish. It is a reliable coffee, and it is often used in blends. Xinca is located in the southeastern part of Guatemala, and it is known for its subtropical climate and its alluvial soil. The altitude is between 1,200 and 1,500 meters, and the soil is rich in organic matter. The coffee from Xinca is known for its fruity notes and its mild acidity and its clean finish. > “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. Cobán speaks in fruit and mildness. Fraijanes speaks in balance. Xinca speaks in versatility.”
The People
The people who grow coffee in Guatemala are mostly indigenous, and they are mostly Maya. They have been growing coffee for generations, and they have passed down their knowledge from parent to child. The finca system, which was introduced by the Germans, is still in use today, although the scale of the fincas has changed, and the labor force is no longer as large as it once was. Many farmers were displaced or killed, and the infrastructure of the industry was damaged. Anacafé, the national coffee association, has played a role in the development of the industry, particularly in the development of the regional classification system that is used today. > “The people are the heart of Guatemalan coffee. Without them, there would be no coffee, no fincas, no regions, no history.”
Processing & Economics
The processing of coffee in Guatemala is mostly washed, which means the coffee cherries are depulped and fermented and washed and dried. This is the traditional method of processing coffee in Guatemala, and it produces a clean and bright cup. Some farmers are experimenting with honey processing, which is a method that leaves some of the mucilage on the coffee bean during drying. This method produces a sweeter and fruitier cup, but it is not as common as washed processing. The economics of coffee in Guatemala are complex. The price of coffee is set by the international market, and it is often low, which makes it difficult for farmers to make a living. > “The economics of coffee are a story of struggle and resilience. The farmers of Guatemala have endured much, and they continue to produce some of the best coffee in the world.”
In the Cup
The coffee from Guatemala is known for its structured acidity and its chocolate notes and its full body and its clean finish. Each region has its own character, and each character is unmistakably Guatemalan. Antigua coffee is known for its floral and cocoa notes and its balanced character. It is a coffee that is easy to drink, and it is often used in blends. Huehuetenango coffee is known for its bright acidity and its winey character and its stone fruit notes. Atitlán coffee is known for its full body and its floral notes and its aromatic character. Cobán coffee is known for its fruity notes and its mild acidity and its clean finish. Fraijanes coffee is known for its balanced character and its chocolate and nut notes and its clean finish. Xinca coffee is known for its fruity notes and its mild acidity and its clean finish. > “In the cup, Guatemalan coffee is a symphony of flavors. Each region plays its own note, and together, they create a harmony that is unmistakably Guatemalan.”
Where It Fits Now
Guatemalan coffee is among the most distinctive in Central America, and it is sought after by roasters and consumers around the world. The regional classification system that was developed by Anacafé has helped to highlight the differences between the regions, and it has helped to increase the value of the coffee. > “Guatemalan coffee is not just a commodity. It is a story, a history, a culture, a people. It is a country defined by volcanoes, and the coffee that grows on their slopes is among the most distinctive in Central America.”
Personal Close
I have roasted Guatemalan coffee for more than a decade, and I have learned to love its diversity and its depth and its unmistakable character. It is a coffee that tells a story, a story of volcanoes and people and history and resilience. It is a coffee that is as complex and as colorful as the country it comes from. And it is a coffee that, in the end, is simply a joy to drink.