How do Fraijanes terroir and coffee beans processing shape the cup?

Fraijanes, east of Antigua in Guatemala, sits on an active volcanic belt with pumice-rich soil. Annual rainfall runs 1,500 to 3,000 millimeters, temperatures average 12 to 26 degrees Celsius, and drying is done in the sun. The result is lively acidity, stone-fruit aromas and a full body.

Finca La Cabana has been managed by the Solares family for nearly sixty years, now run by Isauro Belerio Solares, whose background is agricultural engineering. Much Fraijanes coffee is sold through Antigua estates, but long-established farms use their reputation to reach buyers directly, including washed Pache lots with clear coffee beans processing.

Fraijanes is a distinctive yet often overlooked coffee-producing region in Guatemala. Its active volcanic activity and variable Atlantic climate give local coffee a lively acidity and full body. This article first outlines Fraijanes' geographical and climatic conditions and coffee profile, then focuses on Finca La Cabana—the result of nearly sixty years of management by the Solares family—to learn how owner Isauro improved quality through expansion, variety cultivation, and competition participation. Finally, it presents a detailed profile and flavor description of a washed Pache, along with Front Street Coffee's roasting and brewing recommendations for coffee enthusiasts' reference.

Fraijanes is located not far east of Antigua, the capital of Guatemala. Most of the coffee produced locally is sold through estates in the Antigua region on its behalf; only a few estates with long histories, relying on the reputation accumulated by their predecessors and the solid farming of their descendants today, have managed to carve out their own sales path. This is also the most ideal way for Fraijanes coffee to circulate.

Thanks to more abundant rainfall, longer sunshine hours, and a larger temperature difference between day and night, coffee beans from the Fraijanes region appear particularly vibrant in flavor expression.

The Fraijanes plain lies in an active volcanic belt, and the soil is rich in pumice components. Under the dual influence of active volcanism and the Atlantic climate, the weather here is different in the morning, noon, and evening. With sufficient rainfall, abundant sunlight, and fertile soil, the coffee develops extremely high sweetness, stone-fruit aromas, and a round, substantial mouthfeel.

■　Altitude: 1,400–1,800 meters

■　Annual rainfall: 1,500–3,000 mm

■　Average temperature: 12–26°C

■　Relative humidity: 70–90%

■　Harvest season: December to February

■　Soil: volcanic pumice

■　Main drying method: sun drying

■　Shade tree type: Inga

■　Main terrain: highland plains and hillsides

■　Coffee profile: bright and stable acidity, full flavor, and a unique body

For nearly 60 years, Finca La Cabana has always been managed by the Solares family. The estate was originally founded and operated by the father of Isauro Belerio Solares, and only in recent years was it handed over to Isauro Belerio Solares.

Isauro's professional background is agricultural engineering. He clearly has great enthusiasm for coffee cultivation and has always had many ideas for the estate's future, hoping to implement changes one by one after taking over.

The first step was to expand the estate's coffee planting area from the original 5 hectares to 8 hectares.

The second step was to cultivate coffee varieties with excellent cupping scores, including Bourbon, Maracaturra, Yellow Catuai, and Geisha. Of course, merely planting these varieties is not enough; it is also necessary to understand how they adapt to the estate's microenvironment.

He also did another noteworthy thing: seeking more exposure for the farm by participating in coffee competitions. In the 2017–18 harvest season, Finca La Cabana took fourth place in both the natural and honey processing regional competitions held by Anacafe. Isauro also exchanged more technical knowledge with peers in the Cup of Excellence competition, looking forward to producing even better-quality coffee in the future.

La Cabana Farm, Pache, Washed Process, Fraijanes 2018-19 Crop

■　Country: Guatemala

■　Estate: La Cabana Farm

■　Region: Fraijanes

■　Growing altitude: 1,400–1,800 m

■　Soil: Volcanic pumice

■　Shade method: Inga

■　Annual rainfall: 1,500–3,000 mm

■　Average air humidity: 70–90%

■　Processing method: washed processing

■　Variety: Pache

■　Moisture content: 11.9%

■　Density: 776 g/L

■　Flavor: mint, nuts, pistachio, cream, black tea

Front Street Coffee recommends a medium-light roast for this La Cabana washed Pache to preserve its delicate mint and black tea aromas. During brewing, control the water temperature at 90–91°C, use a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:15, grind to a medium-fine sugar-like consistency, pour in three stages, and keep the total extraction time at about 2 minutes. This better presents the sweet layers of nuts, cream, and pistachio.

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