Guatemala Candelaria

Description

Huetenango is a coffee-producing region in western Guatemala’s highlands. Due to its topography, there are a variety of microclimates that are ideal for coffee cultivation.  Named after the popular “cenotes” in the area (a cenote is essentially a sinkhole, formed by the collapse of limestone that exposes groundwater), the Cenotes of Candelaria are considered a must-visit for tourists. A system of underground rivers connects two pools of crystal clear water that change colors from turquoise blue to bright green.

This coffee is from a number of small farms in the area that is processed together at the local wet mill. It’s fully washed, before being sun-dried on patios. We found this coffee to be particularly tasty, with all the classic flavors you’d want out of a washed Guatemalan. Great chocolate notes, graham cracker sweetness, and just a bit of fruit, especially upfront.

We’re roasting this coffee just on the edge of what we consider a medium roast, with a similar profile to our Costa Rica La Gladiola. We found those flavors really popped with a little extra development time, and it also lent itself to a great espresso option!

For espresso, we recommend starting with 18g in, 36-38g out in about 25 seconds. One thing to note is that we found this coffee to have almost no acidity bite when pulled as espresso. Normally we enjoy that brightness, but there was something very enjoyable about Candelaria as a double shot, and it also pairs really well with milk!