Guatemala Coffee

Guatemala’s coffee grows between volcanoes and in the high, dry mountains of Huehuetenango. Its washed coffees are chocolatey, sweet and quietly complex.

Altitude
4,000–6,500 ft
Harvest
December–March
Varieties
Bourbon, Caturra, Catuai, Pache
Usual process
Washed
Rarity index
57/100

Carried by 135 of 312 US roasters we track

On Roasterland
9 coffees · 9 roasters

In the cup

Chocolate, toffee and green apple

Rich and sweet: cocoa, toffee, brown spice and a crisp apple or citrus acidity. Huehuetenango lots can be fruitier.

CocoaToffeeGreen appleSpice

Taste profile

SweetnessHigh
AcidityMedium
BodyMedium
BitternessLow

From our tasting of every coffee from this origin on Roasterland. Each coffee page has its own profile.

Guatemala, side by side

Same origin, different small roasters. Each roasts it its own way.

About the region

Volcanoes and highlands

Around Antigua and Acatenango, coffee grows in mineral-rich volcanic soil under the shadow of active volcanoes. Atitlán farms ring a crater lake.

Huehuetenango, near the Mexican border, is non-volcanic but very high, and warm winds from Mexico protect it from frost. Its farms grow some of Guatemala’s most sought-after coffee.

Roasters who roast Guatemala

Booskerdoo Coffee + Baking Co. Asbury Park, NJ Cultivar Coffee Dallas, TX Just Coffee Cooperative Madison, WI

If you like Guatemala, try

AmericasCosta RicaHoney · Brown sugar · Orange · Red apple AmericasColombiaCaramel · Red apple · Orange · Chocolate AmericasPanamaJasmine · Bergamot · Stone fruit · Tea-like

Questions about Guatemala

Which Guatemalan region should I try?
Antigua for classic chocolate and spice, Huehuetenango for brighter fruit.
Is Guatemalan coffee shade-grown?
Much of it is grown under shade trees, especially on small farms.