Beans: Finca Cadejo
Roaster: Home roasting
Roasting Degree: City
Origin/Area: Departamento de Sacatepéquez, Guatemala
Grade: SHB
Screen: N/A
Defect: N/A
Altitude: 1,500～1,700m
Variety: Burbon, Caturra
Process: Free washed
【Flavor scale】
Aroma: 4
Sweetness: 4
Acidity: 4
Bitterness: 3
Richness: 3
※Grade 1 to 5
【Impression】
Medium dark, mellow sweet aroma, smokey, Japanese Kinako, roasted bean powder, roasted black beans, coconuts sugar, papaya, mango, dried figs, light touch of hickory, rich, clear, well-matured, fruity acidity, pink grapefruit, orange, milky but clear sweetness, cream, rich butter, fresh beans powder, sharp, clear, a touch of cinnamon, soothing and clear bitterness as a brief lasting aftertaste.
【Note】
Finca Cadejo is located right next to Finca Cabrejo, one of COE winning farm in Guatemalan program. Cadejo produces highly established flavor with well-balanced acidity and sweetness, much different character from Cabrejo.
Beans: Finca El Injerto, Uno
Roaster: Home roasting
Roasting Degree: Full city
Origin/Area: La Libertad,
Departamento de Huehuetenango, Guatemala
Grade: N/A
Screen: N/A
Defect: N/A
Altitude: 1,500 ～ 2,000m
Variety: Burbon, Catuai
Process: Fully washed
【Flavor scale】
Aroma: 5
Sweetness: 3
Acidity: 4
Bitterness: 4
Richness: 3
※Grade 1 to 5
【Impression】
Medium dark, aromaful, high tone mellow aroma, almond, cashews, roasted black beans, a light tone of passion fruits, apple flower, all spice, silky texture, rich, wainy, smooth mouth-feel, thick and heavy, milk chocolate, black cardamon, Fleur de Muscade, fruity sweetness, dark cherry, black grape, herbal note, tangy and heavy sweetness as a long lasting after taste.
【Note】
Finca El Injerto is one of the well known and top running specialty coffee farms in Guatemala. We easily found their name on Specialty coffee competition, Cup Of Excellence Guatemala program, so ACE will prove quality of Finca El Injerto in their definition and quality standard. Also, check out Stumptown, Portland, since "El Injerto" is one of their favorite Guatemalan. Also, Kuma Coffee, Seattle, loves this estate.
Beans: Finca Buena Vista
Roaster: Home roasting
Roasting Degree: Full city
Origin/Area: Jocotenango,
Departamento de Sacatepéquez, Guatemala
Grade: SHB
Screen: N/A
Defect: N/A
Altitude: 1,350 ～ 1,800m
Variety: Caturra, Burbon
Process: Fully washed
※RFA, FSHB certified
【Flavor scale】
Aroma: 3
Sweetness: 3
Acidity: 4
Bitterness: 3
Richness: 4
※Grade 1 to 5
【Impression】
Medium to Dark, nutty, complex aroma, clear acidity in aroma, herbal, a pinch of anise, citric note as a top, orange peel, kumquat, lemon, heavy dark chocolaty aroma as bottom, smooth mouth feel, juicy, fruity, apricot, sheer tangy feel as a red grape skin, sharp, honey, cane juice, creamy sweetness, clear high tone acidity, passion fruits, mellow bitterness, coffee bean chocolate, light/fine bitterness finish as clear sweetness, tangor flower honey like sweetness as a long lasting after taste.
【Note】
Finca Buena
Vista grows three main varietal: Caturra, Burbon and Catimor. Although each varietal overlaps partially,
beans are hand-picked and sorted by hands.
Blessed with environments, Finca Buena Vista fully enjoys volcanic ash, rich
sunshine and higher altitude. They
commit to protect the environment through the agronomic management including
the management of crocheting, vegetal nutrition, prevention of plagues, control
of sickness and the management of the other trees for shade.
Beans: El Mirador Finca El Rincón
Roaster: Home roasting
Roasting Degree: City
Origin/Area: La Libertad, Huehuetenango,
Guatemala
Grade: SHB
Screen: 15up
Defect: ～8
Altitude: 1,500～1,700m
Variety: Burbon, Caturra, Catuai
Process: Fully-washed
【Flavor scale】
Aroma: 4
Sweetness: 4
Acidity: 4
Bitterness: 2
Richness: 3
※Grade 1 to 5
【Impression】
Medium light to medium, aromaful, soothing high tone TCHO 70% cacao bar, sugar cane, a touch of peach, matured nectarine, dried pear, mellow and juicy, light but thick layer of sweetness, well balanced sweetness and bitterness, clean but rich, coconut juice, white grape, cane sugar, clear and mild bitterness hidden heighten sweetness, cacao, date sugar, maple syrup, juicy clear sweetness as a long lasting after taste.
【Note】
The best cup to end 2014, Micro lot from Finca El Rincón, Huehuetenango Guatemala. Managed by Molina Family, Finca El Rincón produces high quality coffee in Huehuetenango, the rising star region to produce green beans. Guatemalan coffee has been graded by the altitude but Huehuetenango has screen and defect, The Grading Green Coffee protocol based on GACCS of SCAA. In the states, Olam Specialty Coffee seems to have an access to Finca El Rincón.
Guatemalan coffee has opened the door to the world of coffee over decades ago, and stays the best choice since then. The specialty coffee has changed, and been changing, the coffee market in may ways, some understandable and the other not agreeable. Besides all, if this specialty movements motivates farmers and increases the value of green beans, last 20 years must be valuable. Since Jamaican survives Hemileia vastatrix in these years, there might be "coffee hunters" seeking for the golden goose.
Name: Finca Linda Vista
Roaster: Home roast
Roasting degree: City
Area: Pueblo Nuevo Viñas, Santa Rosa, Guatemala
Variety: Bourbon
Grade: N/A
Screen: N/A
Altitude: 1,800m～
Defect: N/A
Processing Method: fully washed, Sun-dried
※Guatemala COE winning farm
【Impression】
Medium, sweet aroma, cacao, milk chocolate, a touch of orange, plum, watery texture, mild, rich, tangy bitterness as raw cacao, plane marshmallow sweetness, layer of lemon like sharp acidity, maple sugar at end, malt, coconuts sugar like slow sweetness, rich cacao flavor as a long lasting aftertaste.
Name: Finca San Juan Microlot
Roaster: Doi Coffee
Roasting degree: Full-City
Area: La Libertad, Huehuetenango, Guatemala
Variety: Caturra, Catuai
Grade: N/A
Screen: N/A
Altitude: 1,525m～
Defect: N/A
Processing Method: fully washed, patio dried
【Flavor scale】
Aroma: 4
Sweetness: 3
Acidity: 2
Bitterness: 4
Richness: 3 ※Grade 1 to 5
【Impression】
Medium, mellow, freshly baked vanilla cake, maple syrup, cocoa, roasted almond, a touch of lemon peel, chocolaty, silky texture, bold but smooth, deep mellow sweetness along with tangy bitterness, high citric acidity as a top flavor, raw cacao nib, roasted pecan, raw cashew, earthy spiciness, mild bitterness as a long lasting aftertaste. Acidity impression changes when cup is chilled.
【Note】
Unfortunately, there are not much information available about San Juan Microlot, besides the farm location. Located on a slope of Acatenango, a stratovolcano. Hope more transparency, though I understand Microlot farms are hidden treasure for importers in this specialty movement.
Beans: Finca Puerta Verde
Raoster: Akai-mi Coffee
Roasting Degree: Medium Dark
Area: Ciudad Vieja, Sacatepequez, Antigua, Guatemala
Altitude: 1,540m～
Varieties: Bourbon and Caturra
Processing: Fully Washed
Screen: N/A
Grade: N/A
【Impression】
Medium light to Medium, soothing aroma, lightly citric, lemony, white grapes, high tone of cacao, deep nutty impression, juicy and mellow sweetness, mild bitterness followed by sheer lime like citric flavor, nutty mild sweetness as baked chestnuts, walnuts, cashews, honey, cacao like bitterness, clean, transparent, juicy clear sweetness as a long lasting aftertaste.
Beans: Finca Las Rosas ～ El Lobre
Roaster: Greens Coffee Roaster
Roasting degree: Medium Dark
Area: San Pedro Necta, Huehuetenango, Guatemala
Altitude: 1,370〜1,680 m
Varieties: Typica, Bourbon
Grade: N/A
Processing: Washed
【Impression】
Medium dark to Dark, nutty as roasted cashews, rich sweet aroma with white tea, flowery accent with Satsuma citrus flower, citric aroma hidden, mellow, juicy, rich, well-balanced sweetness and bitterness, gentle touch of soft acidity like asian pears, creamy caramel, cacao beans with Mexican vanilla, Weiss dark chocolate, rich refreshing sweetness as a long lasting aftertaste.
【Note】
Finca Las Rosas is nested in the western slopes of Cuchumatanes mountains, San Pedro Necta region, near the Mexican border.
The estate has 6 areas, such as El Lobre and El Mangal. Each areas cultivation is managed separately, hulled/milled and stored as parchments.
The history of Finca Las Rosas is dated back to 1915, starting with Bourbon and Typica varieties.
Now, the estate is managed by the 4th generation and grows Caturra, Bourbon, Mundo novo, Catimor, Typica and Geisha. The biggest advantage of the estate is their altitude with microclimatic conditions which allows the traditional wet mill and sun-dry.
COE contestant.
Beans: Guatemala Antigua Chuito
Roaster: Fourbarrel
Roasting degree: City
Area: Sacatepequez, Antigua, Guatemala
Altitude: 1,650m ～
Varieties: Bourbon, Caturra
Processing: Traditional Washed
Screen: N/A
Grade: N/A
【Impression】
Full body, medium dark to dark, fruity, fresh, refreshing, strawberry and raspberry, a tip of lemon with cacao, smooth, juicy flavor, sweetness of dried fruits and fresh fruits mixed, heavy raisins, cocoa, high crisp acidity of blackberries and black cherries, blueberries hidden, light but sharp bitterness of dark chocolate, berries sweetness as a long lasting aftertaste. .
【Note】
This post has been hidden, actually forgotten, for quite a long time, but assuming that FourBarrel still carries this with other Guatemala origins. Also, Ritual carries Chiuto, under the name of "Concepcion Chuito" from same estate.
Chuito has characteristic similarities with Pompeya, so it may fun to compare these two and profile flavor.
Beans: Guatemala
Roaster: Okino Coffee
Organically grown
Imported individually
【Impression】
Medium body, light, clear, transparent, lightly scented with orange peel and almond flower, fresh plum, mellow, balanced, rich, cocoa, chestnuts, almonds, layer of maple sugar like sweetness, a touch of shady bitterness, a long lasting aftertaste of mellow sweetness.
Unlike visual of the beans, cups has no tangy bitterness, acid stimulation detected. Very clear but fulfilled flavor.
Enjoyable even for non coffee lover. May enjoy like a cup of bancha tea.
【Note】
Coffee is all about "Balance" and "Concatenation". Regarding "Concatenation", it starts with environments, such as weather, water, soil, farming, cultivation, processing and so on, then continues to roasting and extraction. This Guatemala shows its pureness in flavor without tangy acidity in bitterness which often detected in "Guatemalan mid dark roast". Art of roasting, maybe magic of roasting, may enhance beans flavor/uniqueness fully.
Name: La Provincia
Roaster: GREENS Coffee roaster
Roasting degree: Medium Dark
Area: Atitlán, Santiago, Guatemala
Variety: Caturra, Villa Sarchi
Grade: SHB
Screen: N/A
Altitude: 1550m
Processing Method: Wet-Process,Fully Washed, Sun-dried
【Impression】
Clear body with depth, cristal clear, well-balanced, fruity aroma as tangerine with a scent of vanilla, juicy as plum, well-ripe white grapes, mild as milk chocolate without sweetness, a tip of delicate bitterness wrapped with thick sweetness of CRIOLLO cacao beans, no identified acidity, delicate transparable clearn bitterness as shortlasting aftertaste with light touch of white-tea aroma.
The Guatemalan coffee. Typical Guatemalan flavor brushed up to the supreme point. "DO NOT ADD anything, just taste as black" type of coffee.Even non coffee lover may appreciate this harmonized flavor..
【Note】
Guatemala carries incredibly diverse and large coffee landscape within 109,000 square kilometer country. There are two mountain chains enter dividing this country dividing into three regions: the highlands, the Pacific coast, and the Petén region. The highlands enjoys wider range of suitable conditions for coffee cultivation, where grate many farms are given their uniqueness by various microclimates, altitudes, assorted cultivars and soil types. Considering number of farms lie there, it may seem difficult to meet "the one" since they have much in common. Many of them recognize similarity and strive themselves to acquire recognizable characteristics, such as quality, although Guatemalan coffee itself is already recognized as awesome growing country in their stability of quality and reliability in the highest quality.
Beans: Guatemala Santa Felisa
Roaster: Beans Tei
Roasting degree: City
Area: Acatenango, Guatemala
Finca Santa Felisa @ Acatenango Volcano Valley
Altitude: 1500-1700m
Varieties: Pache, Typica, Bourbon
Grade: N/A
Processing: Washed,
Rain forest Alliance, Organic, OCIA, NOP, EU, JAS
【Flavor scale】
Mildness: 2
Bitterness: 3
Richness: 3
Aroma: 3
Acidity: 2
Sweetness: 3
※Grade 1 to 5
【Impression】
Medium body, very clean, roasted nuts with jasmine like aroma with a tint of lime, silky smooth texture, elegant and mellow with clean finish, a little bitterness as after taste. Mild and consistent body, caramel like creamy feeling with agave syrup sweetness, green apple acidity, matured sweetness of plums and roasted almonds.
【Note】
Finca Santa Felisa always provides the Guatemalan rich coffee: rich, flavorful, transparent and well-balanced. Flavor relies on somewhat roasting techniques although how flavorful/wonderful green beans are. Guatemalan seems to fit Japanese style roasting, small rot with small-size machine compared with mega size US machines. Probat & Fuji-Loyal are often found, 5kg to 15kg in space-wise, which excel in light to medium roasting. Dark roast, such as Italian roast, may strongly depend on Machine size, and also say low quality beans. Whereas, lighter roasting degree is one of techniques to enhance flavor of High quality beans.
Beans: The Agricultural Cooperative Chojzunil (Chojzunil)
Roasting degree: Medium dark
Roaster: Coffee Kobo Higuchi
Area of production: Chojzunil, santa eulalia,
Department of Huehuetenango, Guatemala
Grade: SHB
Screen: N/A
Altitude: ranges around ：1,300m～1,800m
Defects: N/A
Processing: hand picked, fully washed, sun-dried
Variety: Typica, Bourbon
FLO Certified organic, Fair trade
【Impression】
Full bodied, fresh roasted almond and cacao like sweet aroma, juicy vivid citrus flavor and tangy acidity of lime combined with condensed pomegranate syrupy sweetness, moderate bitterness of dark chocolate with pecan nuts crisp flavor, well-harmonized and balanced elegant flavor.
This will give good flavor with both Americano and Espresso, and may give good harmony with milk Hand brew for morning macchinetta in the afternoon.
【The Agricultural Cooperative Chojzunil 】
Located 269 km NW from Guatemala City, Huehuetenango is the home for high quality coffee beans where Chojzunil, santa eulalia village is hidden. This village is blessed with wonderful environments to cultivate coffee beans: foggy, larger difference of the morning and evening temperature. There are about 150 enthusiastic coffee farmers organize The Agricultural Cooperative Chojzunil and focus on organic farming. Although environmentally rich for coffee cultivation, their cultivation were not rich enough due to low level of knowledge in farming. So, some farmers voluntary formed co-op to learn agricultural technology from FEDECOCAGUA to improve quality of their cultivation.
The Agricultural Cooperative Chojzunil is now one of the best micro lot coffee farming estate/mill in Guatemala grows their coffee organically and supports their lives of the village.
Beans: Guatemala
Roaster: Rokuyosha
Roasting Degree: Medium
【Impression】
Dark to medium dark, smooth body, nutty sweetness, roasted black soy beans sweet & bitter aroma, sweetness of Hazel nuts with a tip of cacao nibs bitterness, mellow, mature, well-balanced, a thin layer of light bitterness mixed with a tint, mild acidity of Kumquat, thick sweetness of Dutch black cocoa in core, tangy bitterness followed by a tip of citric acidity as a long lasting aftertaste.
Good combination with almond milk creamer to enhance nutty flavor. Combination with light texture of sweets, like Pâte feuilletée, Palmiers, may create wonderful tea break.
Sourness enhanced once a cup gets cold.
【Note】
Typical Guatemalan flavor: fruity, aroma-full, well-balanced, mellow, light acidity cored with sweetness and average flavor balance. This may fit with water brew methods to extract full flavor, "essence", of the beans.
【Roasting】
Due to roasting volume, light charcoal like bitterness detected when water temperature is high. It seems that high temperature enhance bitterness and diminish Sweetness of beans. Although it's changing, average size of roasting machine in Japan is smaller compared with US. As it said, the highest quality coffee beans has been shipped to this island country so that roasting technique is developed in a aspect of "HOW TO educe flavor of beans". The smaller size roasting machines has higher ability to manage lighter degree roasting, which somehow fits to the country of space limitation.
Beans: Guatemala Antigua Bella Carmona SHB
Roaster: Beans-Tei
Region: Antigua, Bella Carmona, Guatemala
Altitude: 1,500-1,800m
Varietal: Bourbon, Catura
Screen: N/A
Grade: SHB
【Impression】
Medium body, very light acidity with creamy and silky texture. Chocolaty aroma like Criollo cacao beans, with well-balanced bitterness and sweetness. Deep and well-developed balance of bitterness and acidity is harmonized with fruity sweetness similar to cacao beans. This fits any time in a day but may fit better at evening or 3pm with sweets, scones with whipped-cream.
Food pairing : Strawberry shortcake with a lot of whipped cram!!
Name: Blue Lake
Roaster: Namamame Hompo
Roasting degree: City
Area: Lago de Atitlán, Sololá, Guatemara
Variety: Burbon, and others
Grade: SHB
Screen: 15up
Altitude: 1,500m ～
Defect: ～ 8
Processing Method: Fully washed
【Flavor scale】
Aroma: 4
Sweetness: 3
Acidity: 4
Bitterness: 3
Richness: 3
※Grade 1 to 5
【Impression】
Light to Medium body, fruity and flowery aroma of highland. Strong citrus flavor, a tint of nutty bitterness, sheer sweetness, short aftertaste remaining a clear blue summer lake. Lime and Sudachi-citrus like light acidity, fine and clear flavor. Definitely for Black, fits any time of a day and any time of a year.
【Note】
Blue Lake is named after Lago de Atitlán, which are grown around the lake. Surrounded by three main volcano, Volcán San Pedro：3,020m, Volcán Toliman 3,158m and Volcán Atitlan 3,535m, coffee were cultivated on the slope of these volcanos since 1950, when Burbon varietal brought to Guatemala.
