Guatemala is one of the most consistent specialty coffee origins in the world, and it's not down to luck. A combination of altitude, volcanic soil, and a distinct dry season gives the coffee a reliability that's harder to find elsewhere — which is why it's stayed a fixture in our single origin range.
The region
Our Guatemalan coffee comes from Huehuetenango, one of the country's highest and most remote growing regions, in the northwest near the border with Mexico. It's a demanding place to grow coffee — the terrain is steep and the infrastructure limited — but the conditions are close to ideal: a dry mountain climate that protects against frost, and altitudes between 1,500 and 2,000 metres that slow the ripening of the cherry and concentrate flavour in the bean. The coffee is washed, which keeps the profile clean and lets the origin character come through clearly rather than being masked by the processing.
Tasting notes
Expect a toffee-like sweetness, a mild citrus edge, and a clean finish, with a medium body that holds up well across different brew methods. It's not as sharply acidic as an Ethiopian, and not as heavy as some South American coffees — it sits comfortably in the middle, which is part of why it works so well as an everyday single origin rather than an occasional treat.
How to brew it
V60 / filter
This is where the citrus brightness comes through most clearly. Use water at 93°C, a medium grind, and a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio. The clarity of a paper filter suits this coffee well.
AeroPress
Works well with a slightly finer grind than you'd use for a V60, with a two-minute brew time. It produces a clean, concentrated cup that holds the toffee sweetness nicely.
Espresso
Good as a single origin espresso if you're willing to dial it in. Use a medium-fine grind and adjust dose and time until the shot pulls sweet rather than sharp — Guatemalan beans respond well to a bit of patience here.
Cafetière
You'll lose some of the clarity you get from a filter method, but it's still a solid, reliable cup. Use a coarse grind and let it steep for four minutes before pressing.
Our roast approach
We roast this one to a medium level, which is deliberate — pushing it darker would trade away the toffee sweetness and citrus notes in favour of roast bitterness, and that's not what this coffee is for. A medium roast lets the origin character do the work.
You can find this coffee on our Guatemalan product page. If you want to compare it against other origins, the full range is available in our fresh coffee beans collection.