How Do Elephant Coffee Beans From Guatemala Brew as Pour-Over?

Guatemala's El Platanillo estate, on the slopes of the San Marcos volcano at 1,060 to 1,460 meters, grows only the Maragogype heirloom variety, known as Elephant Bean. Its green beans reach screen size 19 and above, yields per tree are low, and the cup stays delicate and clean. Under a light roast it shows oolong tea aromatics and bright fruit acidity, shifting to nutty and chocolate notes by second crack.

Guatemala has about 125,000 coffee producers, and coffee accounts for 40 percent of agricultural export revenue. Of 22 departments, 20 grow coffee, 98 percent under shade, almost entirely Arabica and mostly washed. Since the 1990s Anacafe has split the country into eight SHB regions, with harvest running December through March or April.

Guatemala is a highly representative coffee-producing country in the Central American coffee landscape. Of its 22 departments, 20 grow coffee, with Arabica beans holding absolute dominance and most processed using the washed method. Since the 1990s, Anacafé has divided the country into eight SHB regions, with the harvest period running from December through March to April of the following year. El Platanillo estate, located on the slopes of the San Marcos volcano at an altitude of 1,060 to 1,460 meters, focuses exclusively on growing the heirloom variety Maragogype—commonly known as Elephant Bean. This variety produces extremely large green beans, screen size 19 and above, with very low annual yield per tree, yet delivers a delicate and clean flavor profile. This Front Street Guatemala Platanillo Estate Elephant Bean, introduced by Front Street Coffee, presents oolong tea aromatics and bright fruit acidity under a light roast, transitioning to nutty and chocolate notes once reaching second crack. The following article will cover the growing region background, estate information, variety characteristics, and Front Street brewing parameters one by one.

How to brew the unique Front Street Guatemala Coffee Guatemala Platanillo Estate Elephant Bean as pour-over? What is its flavor profile?

Coffee has played an important role in Guatemala's economy for a century. According to statistics, there are currently about 125,000 coffee producers locally, and coffee beans are one of the country's main export commodities, accounting for 40% of agricultural export revenue. Coffee cultivation in Guatemala is extremely widespread—coffee trees can be seen in almost every region of the country, with 20 of the 22 departments engaged in coffee production, of which 98% use shade cultivation. In terms of varieties, it is almost monopolized by Arabica, with washed processing being the primary method. Common varieties include Bourbon, Maragogype, Typica, Caturra, Catuai, Pache, and Pacamara. Guatemala possesses high-altitude conditions, 300 different microclimates, stable rainfall, and mineral-rich fertile soil. These factors together create an ideal environment for coffee cultivation, making it the most promising producing region among Central American countries. Since the early 1990s, Anacafé took the lead in dividing the country into eight regions producing Strictly Hard Bean (SHB) based on coffee characteristics, growing climate, soil quality, and altitude: Acatenango Valley, Antigua, Atitlán, Cobán Rainforest, Fraijanes Plateau, Huehuetenango, New Oriente, and San Marcos Volcanic Region. The main harvest season runs from December each year to March of the following year, and higher-altitude regions such as Huehuetenango may extend the harvest period to April. After the early new crop harvest is processed, shipments are arranged, typically concentrated between April and July.

El Platanillo estate is located on the slopes of the Tacana and Tajumulco volcanoes, at altitudes ranging from 1,060 to 1,460 meters. In 1976, Samuel Coto Escobar purchased this farm, and it is now managed by his children. El Platanillo estate follows a single and specialized approach, growing only the Maragogype variety, commonly known as the "Elephant Bean." Maragogype belongs to the so-called "heirloom" varieties and is a relatively ancient tree type, cultivated specifically for its unique flavor. In contrast, a single Maragogype coffee tree may produce less than one kilogram of green beans per year, while the high-yield hybrid varieties promoted in recent years can easily reach three times that amount. The Front Street Maragogype coffee beans from El Platanillo estate in Guatemala maintain excellent and stable quality every season, offering coffee enthusiasts the opportunity to explore and discover new favorites.

Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) Guatemala Platanillo Estate Maragogype Elephant Bean

Property Characteristics: Farm Characteristics

Farm Name: Finca El Platanillo

Farmer: Stuardo Coto Markus

City: San Rafaël Pié de la Cuesta

Region: San Marcos

Country: Guatemala

Farm Size: 368 Hectares

Coffee growing area: 321 Hectares

Altitude: 1,060–1,460 meters

Coffee Characteristics: Coffee Characteristics

Variety: Maragogype (Elephant Bean)

A variant of Typica, discovered in Maragogype, Brazil, and named in its honor. The coffee beans are extremely large, screen size 19 and above, hence the name Elephant Bean. The taste is mild with slight acidity and sweetness, difficult to produce and cultivate with very low yield.

Processing System: Fully Washed

Appearance: Screen size 20 and above

Top Jury Descriptions: Roast level for cupping is 60 seconds after first crack begins (Cinnamon)

Aroma/Flavor: Almond, peanut, nuts, cocoa, raspberry, blackcurrant, oolong tea, lychee, floral perfume notes

Acidity: Unique, fresh, subtle, clean, mint, orange acidity, red grape acidity, malic acidity

Complexity and other: Full of aroma in the mouth, soft mouthfeel, prominent oolong tea-like sweet aftertaste with a refined finish, carrying red grape fermented wine richness

In 2011, Direct Coffee introduced the single-variety Maragogype (Elephant Bean) from Finca El Platanillo estate. What makes this bean interesting is that the bean shape is intact and the particles are enormous, yet the flavor forms a contrast with the bean size—extremely delicate and clean. Particularly favored is the oolong tea aroma and delicate fruit acidity released during light-roast brewing; after reaching second crack (Full City), most of the tea-like notes and fruit acidity fade, giving way to nutty, almond, and chocolate aromas.

Front Street Brewing Recommendations:

V60 dripper, 15g coffee, water temperature 90°C, grind setting 3, water-to-coffee ratio approximately 1:15

30g water for blooming, bloom time 30s

Stages: Pour water to 110ml and stop, wait for the water level to drop to 1/3, then slowly pour again to 225ml and stop.

That is 30-120-225g

Other drip extraction suggestions:

French press, recommended grind setting 3.5-4 / water temperature 90°C

AeroPress, recommended grind setting 2.5, water temperature 90°C

Pour-over: grind setting 3.5, water temperature 91°C

3.5 grind – 90°C water temperature

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