Vanille Kaffee

Guatemala has around 775 million coffee trees. About 25% of Guatemala’s working population depends on coffee production. Temperatures in the coastal region range from 25 to 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 the Arabica species. 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 processed using the wet method and then dried for around 2–3 weeks in the sun on flat surfaces, as well as in wood-fired drum dryers. The coffee beans are then hand-sorted. Pampojila Plantation is located in one of Guatemala’s most beautiful areas, near Lake Atitlán and surrounded by three volcanoes. Nestled in the mountains within a nature reserve, the plantation encompasses around 300 hectares of growing area with ancient trees and rare animals. The coffee valleys lie at elevations of 1,500 to 1,700 meters, ideal for producing excellent coffee. It grows in the shade of a special tree, the Chalúm tree (Inga Xalapensis). This leguminous tree can convert nitrogen compounds into amino acids that 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%