The three main coffee producers in the world are Brazil, Vietnam and Colombia. But in terms of quality coffee production, Colombia dwarfs its closest competitors. And which country follows after Colombia in the production of high-quality coffee? The traditional coffee potency of Brazil? No. It is Guatemala, a small Central American nation that has just recovered from the ravages of a 36-year civil war.
However, it is not surprising that Guatemala produces coffee of such quality. Guatemalans have known coffee for centuries. The first plant was brought to Guatemala by Jesuit priests in the 1750s, who thought it would make a great ornamental tree. Widespread coffee cultivation would follow half a century later.
Today, connoisseurs consider Guatemalan coffee to be one of the best in the world. As a testament to its greatness, Guatemala is a regular participant in the Cup of Excellence (COE), the world’s largest annual coffee competition organized to determine the best coffee in each registered coffee-producing country. Just think of the COE as the Super Bowl of coffee. The finest and most expensive coffee from Guatemala that has been auctioned through the COE came from Huehuetenango, one of the main producing regions of the Central American nation. Its price? Well, it was bought for a whopping $80.20 a pound.
And it is a well deserved price. Because Guatemalan coffee certainly offers an unforgettable experience to anyone. Ask any coffee enthusiast who has extensive knowledge of different brands and you’ll probably hear from them that Guatemalan coffee is included in their top 5 coffee lists.
How does Guatemalan coffee acquire its rich and unique flavor? Obviously, a big factor is the weather. The Guatemalan climate, neither too wet nor too humid, is perfect for growing. Plant coffee in an arid area and you will get beans that are too acidic. Grow them in a place where the rains are constant and you will get a coffee with a dull flavor. Guatemala’s temperate climate is just what the coffee tree wants.
Friendly weather alone would not make for good coffee. The substrate must also be in optimal conditions. Coffee wants a soil that is not entirely rich in nutrients and minerals, but also has moderate Ph levels. And that is exactly what Guatemalan soil offers. Because it is located in a region where volcanic activity is quite high, Guatemala’s soil is primarily volcanic in origin. What makes volcanic soil good for coffee is the fact that it contains large amounts of minerals and is not acidic in nature.
But the main factor that explains the goodness of Guatemalan coffee is the way it is grown. Almost all trees in Guatemala are shade trees. Farmers do not expose coffee trees to the sun. Rather, they grow them in the shade of larger trees like macadamia. The result is that the beans develop more slowly. How does that make coffee taste so good? Well, when a bean matures slowly, it becomes tougher and develops richer flavors.