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For over 150 years, Guatemala has distinguished itself
by producing some of the best coffee in the world. But, what makes Guatemalan
Coffees so special? Guatemala's distinct microclimates and traditional processing
methods make its coffee unique. High altitudes, many microclimates, ideal
rainfall patterns, mineral rich soils, and abundant water supply. All these
together make such combinations as to produce genuine differences in the
cup.
In Guatemala, the growing and processing of coffee is
virtually an artisan craft, handed down form generation to generation. Much
effort, precision and intense handwork go into a fine cup of coffee. Each
step must be carried out with precision by experienced hands-from the small
coffee field to the large estate, from the micro to the mechanized mill.
Almost all farms in Guatemala have their own wet processing
mill. Thus, coffee can be handled exclusively from harvest to bag by a single
farm. Hundreds of farms and increasingly more coops export under their own
registered trade mark.
That is why in the year 2000 Anacafe took the regional
/microclimate concept one step further by setting as a goal the identification
and documentation of each farm and cooperative within that region. This
goal is being executed within the technical specifications of Geographic
Information System (G.I.S.) which relies on GPS technology to precisely
locate the geographic position of each coffee producing unit.
At this date one hundred percent of registered cooperatives
and almost 50% of all registered farms have been identified and mapped.
Because coffee production constantly responds to market forces, the collection
of data will be an ongoing and dynamic process.
Seven Regions The variety and complexity of aromas reflect
the ways the different soils and climate patterns combine with high altitudes
to create marked regional differences. Seven regions have been identified
for the specialty market:
Volcanic San Marcos is the region with most volcanoes,
earliest flowering and most intense rains produce coffee with a pronounced
acidity and good body. It is very aromatic with a delicate floral note.
Traditional Atitlán is a region where ninety percent
of the coffee is cultivated along the slopes of dramatic volcanoes that
dominate the shores of Lake Atitlán, the largest Guatemala's Crater Lake.
Coffee is delightfully aromatic with a crisp, pronounced acidity, pleasant
fruit notes and a full body.
Rainforest Cobán is cloudy, rainy and cool all year-round
region with soil formed from limestone and clay. The coffee, cultivated
under the tropical influences of the Atlantic Basin, is very aromatic with
a fine and well balanced body and a fresh fruit note.
New Oriente is the newest regional coffee located over
what was once a volcanic range, its soil is made from metamorphic soil.
This makes it balanced in minerals. New Oriente is aromatic, well balanced
and pleasant, with full body and chocolaty flavor.
Highland Huehue is the highest coffee region under cultivation.
It is also the most rugged and remote area in Guatemala. Hot winds that
blow into the mountains from the Tehuantepec plain in Mexico protect the
region from frost. The coffee has a clean, full body and a pronounced, fine
acidity. It is highly aromatic with a pleasant wine note.
Fraijanes Plateau is a high, rugged table land with pumice
filled soil. Pacaya, the most active of Guatemala's three live volcanoes,
supplies the region with a light deposit of ash egryu so often giving the
soil and important mineral boost. The coffee is very aromatic with a strong
and intense body. Is has a pleasing crisp and persisting acidity.
Antigua Coffee region has rich volcanic soils, low humidity,
lots of sun and cool nights. The dense shade combined with the region's
shallow water table produces a distinct microclimate within the coffee fields.
Antigua Coffee has a full, well balanced and elegant body, a rich and lively
aroma, and a fine, pronounced acidity.
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