What makes Antigua coffee in Guatemala distinctive?

The Antigua region of Guatemala sits in high-altitude mountains with mineral-rich volcanic ash, fertile soil, abundant sunshine, and moist Pacific sea breezes. Those conditions produce coffee with pronounced floral notes and citrus acidity. Front Street's Antigua Flor beans use Bourbon and Caturra varieties, are wet-processed, and are medium-roasted to keep the bright acidity and floral-fruity aromas intact.

The article walks through the region's terroir and industry situation, then gives roast records and two brewing parameter sets, for V60 and the Clever Cup. It also covers the crisis Guatemala's growers face: production costs have outrun market prices, Juan Luis Barrios of the national coffee association says prices no longer cover a minimum living cost, and warming weather plus 2020 storms raised the risk of leaf rust.

The Antigua region of Guatemala, with its high-altitude mountains, fertile volcanic ash, and abundant sunshine, nurtures premium coffee with floral notes and citrus acidity. Front Street Coffee's Antigua Flor coffee beans are made from Bourbon and Caturra varieties, wet-processed, and medium-roasted to preserve bright acidity along with floral and fruity aromas. This article provides a complete analysis of this bean's flavor profile, from the region's terroir and industry status to roasting records and brewing methods, and includes two specific parameter sets for V60 and Clever Cup, suitable for coffee enthusiasts to reference and practice.

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Guatemala's coffee-growing regions are located in high-altitude mountains, where volcanic ash is rich in minerals and the soil is exceptionally fertile. This area has a tropical climate with abundant sunshine and is also brushed by moist sea breezes from the Pacific. The superior climate and geographical conditions create the coffee's pronounced floral notes and citrus acidity. Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) has noticed that whether it is a medium-light roasted single-origin bean or a medium-dark roasted espresso blend, this floral characteristic is particularly surprising.

In 2020, was Guatemala exposed for a coffee industry crisis??

According to a Bloomberg report cited by Coffee Financial Network, Guatemala is facing a severe coffee industry crisis—cost increases have outpaced market prices, suppressing the country's coffee production growth. Juan Luis Barrios, president of Guatemala's National Coffee Association, pointed out: "Current coffee prices are not enough to maintain a minimum living cost. Small and medium-sized estates find it difficult to bear production costs, and coffee farmers lack the incentive to expand production."

Global temperature rise and worsening climate patterns are also continuously harming growers and bringing more adverse events. In 2020, the Caribbean, Central America, and the United States suffered record-breaking storms, and it was the warmest three years on record. The storms brought more moisture, increasing the likelihood of fungal diseases such as leaf rust. At the same time, this year's COVID-19 pandemic has also pushed up coffee production costs, mainly in picking and logistics transportation. Therefore, based on the current situation, the cost of Guatemalan coffee beans in the new season will only be higher than last year's level of 190 to 230 USD per bag, further intensifying the local industry crisis.

The Guatemalan coffee offered by Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) comes from the Antigua region.

Antigua, whose full name is Antigua Guatemala (meaning Old Guatemala), also translated into Chinese as Antigua Guatemala, is a famous ancient city in the Central American country of Guatemala, located about 40 kilometers west of Guatemala City, and founded in 1543. Antigua was built in the Panchoy Valley at an altitude of 1,500 meters, surrounded by mountain ranges and several volcanoes. Its location is close to the peaks of Agua and Fuego volcanoes, and the center of this area is often threatened by earthquakes.

This region is home to several volcanoes, providing extremely fertile soil for Antigua coffee; the significant temperature difference between day and night slows the growth rhythm of coffee trees and allows for a richer accumulation of flavor compounds. Front Street believes that the high altitude and abundant minerals give the coffee beans in this area white floral notes and soft citrus acidity.

Antigua Flor coffee bean varieties

The coffee beans sourced by Front Street use Bourbon and Caturra. Bourbon is a natural mutation of Typica. Its fruit turns wine-red when ripe, and the bean body is relatively round. Bourbon grown at high altitudes usually has better aroma and bright acidity, with a flavor similar to red wine when drunk. Caturra is similar in appearance to Bourbon, making them somewhat difficult to distinguish, but Caturra's tail end is slightly more curved than Bourbon's, and overall it is round and slender.

Antigua Flor coffee bean processing method

This coffee uses the washed process. The washed process involves putting selected coffee cherries into a depulper to initially remove the skin and pulp. The green coffee beans with residual pulp and mucilage are placed in water and allowed to ferment for about 18-36 hours. After fermentation, the green coffee beans with parchment are washed in a flowing water channel to remove the pulp and mucilage. After washing, the coffee beans are spread out to dry, reducing the moisture content to about 12%, and finally the parchment of the green coffee beans is removed. Front Street believes that washed beans have a relatively clean and bright mouthfeel, and their acidity is also very lively.

Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) roasting record

These green coffee beans are round, yellow-green, with good uniformity and medium moisture content, so Front Street's roaster aimed for a medium roast. On one hand, this preserves bright acidity to showcase floral and fruity aromas; on the other hand, it enhances richness and balance.

The drum temperature was raised to 200°C before charging. The damper was set to 3. After 30 seconds, the heat was adjusted to 160°C, with the damper unchanged. The turning point was 1'36". The heat was maintained. At 4'50", the bean surface turned yellow, the grassy smell completely disappeared, and the drying phase began. The heat was lowered to 140°C, and the damper was adjusted to 4. At 4'50", drying was complete. The heat was lowered to 140°C. At 8'32", ugly wrinkles and dark patches appeared on the bean surface, and the toasty bread aroma clearly shifted to coffee aroma, which can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this time, it is necessary to listen clearly for the sound of first crack. At 8'37", first crack began. The heat was reduced to 80°C, and the damper was fully opened to 5 (adjusting the heat must be done very carefully, not so low that there is no cracking sound). After first crack, development lasted 1'50", and the beans were dropped at 195.3°C.

Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) brewing notes

Brewing coffee as pour-over can highlight a coffee's excellent flavors. In order to highlight Flor's floral notes and citrus flavors, a Hario V60 dripper and the following specific parameters were used:

Coffee grounds: 15g

Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15

Water temperature: 92°C

Grind size: medium-fine grind (78% passing through a No. 20 standard sieve)

Front Street brewing method: First, pour in 30g of water for a 30-second bloom, then pour 90g of water in a circular motion outside the center line to reach 120g. When the water level drops to the halfway point, pour in 105g of water to reach 225g. After all the coffee liquid in the dripper flows into the server, the extraction ends. The time is 1 minute 55 seconds.

V60 brewing flavor: Brewed this way, it smells of faint jasmine and fruit. On the palate, there is bright citrus acidity; in the middle, honey sweetness appears; and the finish carries chocolate. After cooling, a smoky note gradually becomes more prominent.

Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) Clever Cup brewing notes

The Clever Cup is also called the lazy cup, meaning it does not require much technique—as long as you master the parameters, you can produce a stable cup. Since convenience is the goal, try not to rely on technique-related interference. The specific operation and parameters are as follows:

Coffee grounds: 15g

Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:16

Grind size: fine grind (83% passing through a No. 20 sieve)

Water temperature: 93°C

Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) brewing method: Place a filter paper, add the coffee grounds, and pour in 240g of water. The pouring method is very simple: heat the kettle to 93°C and pour in 240g directly with a strong stream. If you are worried about accidentally pouring too much, you can also first measure 240g of water with a scale or measuring cup, so you do not need to worry about over-pouring even with a strong stream. After pouring the water, cover with the lid and start timing. After 4 minutes, open the lid and place the Clever Cup on a mug so that all the coffee liquid flows into the mug.

Clever Cup brewing flavor: Brewed this way, the flavor tends to be balanced, tasting like the sweet-and-sour note of mandarin orange, with obvious chocolate and maple syrup flavors in the middle and finish, and a solid mouthfeel.

For more specialty coffee beans, please add the private WeChat of Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee), WeChat ID: kaixinguoguo0925

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.