Macadamia Kaffee

Guatemala is home to around 775 million coffee trees. About 25% of Guatemala’s working population depends on coffee production. The climate in the coastal region offers temperatures of 25–33°C. The dry season lasts from September to April, and the rainy season from May to October, with rainfall considerably heavier on the Atlantic coast. The most common coffee plant is Arabica. Washed Robusta is also found on the Pacific coast. Coffee plants bloom from January to March. The harvest then runs from August/September through April. The coffee is then processed using the wet method and dried for about 2–3 weeks in the sun on flat surfaces, as well as in wood-fired drum dryers. The coffee beans are then hand-sorted. The Pampojila plantation is located in one of Guatemala’s most beautiful areas, near Lake Atitlán and surrounded by three volcanoes. Set amid mountains in a nature reserve, the plantation covers about 300 hectares of farmland with ancient trees and rare animals. The coffee-growing valleys lie at an altitude of 1,500 to 1,700 m, ideal for producing excellent coffee. It grows under the shade of a special tree, the Chalúm tree (Inga Xalapensis). This legume-family tree can convert nitrogen compounds into amino acids, which the coffee plants need to grow.

• Country of origin: Guatemala
• Region: Lake Atitlán
• Growing altitude: 1,500–1,700 m
• Harvest season: September to April
• Plantation: Pampojila
• Farm owner: Oscar Diaz Echeverria
• Caffeine content: 1.3%