Guatemala Antigua Los Volcanes

Guatemala Antigua Los Volcanes

This is a great coffee for espresso lovers. Initial aromas indicate this is going to be packed with chocolate flavours. As well as complimenting all drinks on the menu, try this coffee black where its full potential is revealed. There is quite a lot of complex flavours working simultaneously, including white chocolate and honey. Shade grown under the gravillea tree, handpicked off the coffee plant and roasted to perfection. This Guatemalan bean is strong and nutty and a best seller in our Central/South American range.

Antigua, Guatemala

Antigua is a small city in Guatemala which is home to around 45,669 people. It is surrounded by volcanos and is known for it’s Spanish influenced architecture. It is now celebrated for its coffee and achieved a protected status.

Coffee was first cultivated in this region in the late 1800’s after the reduced demand for other crops freed up land availability, increasing the governments interest to grow coffee plants. The high quality infrastructure and status of Antiqua has unfortunately meant that some coffee owners bring their beans into the region, so it can be exported with the Antigua label. This has threatened the integrity of the status but is now managed and all coffees leaving Antigua have full traceability.

Antigua’s seasons are divided into wet and dry, and its average temperature is about 22°C. The country is estimated to get 4 inches of rainfall every month. These conditions are optimal for coffee growing.

Guatemala Coffee growing regions

It is estimated that the country produces over 3 million bags of coffee every year. It produces coffee varieties such as Bourbon, Caturra, Catuai, Typica, Maragogype, Pache & Pacamara, and has several producing regions. These are:

1. Antigua – The country’s most well known growing region. Rich volcanic soil, low humidity, sunshine and cool breezes is what makes these beans so brilliant.
2. Acatenango Valley – Beans here are grown under shade on steep slopes. Frequent eruptions from the nearby volcano keeps the soil rich and full of nutrients for the beans.
3. Atitlán – Mostly cultivated against the slopes of volcanoes. The cold wind gives these beans their unique characteristics.
4. Cobán – This region gets plenty of rainfall which produces nice ripe coffee cherries. Flowering is staggered so production here is labour intensive.
5. Fraijanes Plateau – High altitudes, heavy rainfall and varied humidity is what defines the characteristics of these beans.
6. Huehuetenango – One of the three non-volcanic regions. Has the highest elevations and driest climate. It’s inability to get frost and extreme weather makes a fantastic speciality coffee.
7. Nueva Oriente – Dominated by small, local producers. Because of this, beans from this region can be varied.
8. San Marcos – This region receives the most rainfall, which means it also gets the earliest flowering.