After a long time, we are putting Guatemalan coffee back on the espresso list. It is beautifully sweet, fruity and with a nice cocoa finish.
The farm / washing station:
Brothers Francisco and Pedro Jacinto have been selling their coffee with Rosma Coffeelands since 2012. Previously, they sold their coffee to middlemen who aggregated coffee from many farms in the region. With Rosma Coffeelands, the brothers focus on improving quality and maintaining traceability for their coffees. Rosma Coffeelands is a consistent Cup of Excellence winner and their dedication to high-quality production is evident in every lot they produce.
Rosma Coffeelands was founded by Fredy Morales, son of Alejandro Morales. Alejandro purchased the family farm in 1963 and cultivated coffee there. Fredy took over the farm in 1980 and renamed the farm Rosma after his wife, Rose Mary. In addition to the coffee he produces on Finca Rosma, Fredy works with his neighbors, friends and family to cultivate and source high-quality coffees that are traceable to individual family farms. Rosma acts not only as an exporter but also as a resource for farmers looking to improve production. They have a seedling nursery so farmers can access high-quality seedlings that are also more Coffee Leaf Rust resistant. They also provide refinancing credit for farmers and health and medical assistance. Since 2022, sales of Rosma coffees in Europe, Middle East and North Africa have supported Coffee Kinder, an on-farm childcare center for the children of farm workers. At Coffe Kinder, children can play and learn safely during the harvest while their parents work. This reduces child labor and makes it possible for both parents to work, increasing incomes for laboring families and increasing the labor force for the harvest.
Huehuetenango is well-known for its high altitude and consistent weather patterns. The region lies at a nexus of hot air sweeping eastwards from the Plains of Tehuantepec in Oaxaca, Mexico and cool air rushing down from the Cuchumantanes Mountains. The meeting of this hot and cold air creates a microclimate that keeps frost in check and enables coffee cultivation at higher altitudes. Coffee production at 2,000 meters above sea level here is common. These conditions are perfect for producing the sparkling acidity and distinctive fruit flavors of the region.
Variety:
Bourbon is the most famous of the varieties originating from the Bourbon family. It is a tall variety characterised by its relatively low production, susceptibility to the most common diseases and excellent cup quality. French missionaries brought this variety from Yemen to the island of Bourbon (now Réunion) in the early 17th century, giving it its present name. Bourbon did not leave the island until the mid-19th century. From the mid-19th century, however, the variety spread to new parts of the world as missionaries sought to establish themselves in Africa and America. Around 1860, Bourbon was imported to Brazil, from where it quickly spread north to other parts of South and Central America, where it is still grown today. Here it has mixed with other related varieties imported from India and with Ethiopian native varieties. Today, there are many Bourbon-like varieties in East Africa, but none of them exactly resembles the Bourbon variety found in Latin America. In Latin America, it has now largely been replaced by varieties derived from it (notably Caturra, Catuai and Mundo Novo).
Processing:
Cherry is selectively handpicked and pulped on the farm’s drum pulper. Coffee is fermented in fermentation tanks for 40 hours and then washed in clean water. Wet parchment is laid on patios to sundry. They rake parchment frequently to ensure even drying. It takes approximately 8 to 10 days for parchment to dry. Once dry, parchment is bagged and taken to a warehouse in Huehuetenango City where the low humidity is ideal for storing and resting parchment. Parchments rests for approximately 2 months before being milled and prepared for export.
Our baristas notes:
You may remember Ojo de Agua Farm from our last year offer as well. Coincidentally it was a farm from Nicaragua with the same name (Eye of Water). This time it is a coffee from Guatemala which is very typical with it taste of this origin. The espresso has a full body, higher sweetness and lower medium malic-phosphoric acidity. On the body you will find light fruity notes with a distinct sweetness similar to the fudge. The best recipe we found was at ratio 1:2 with a time between 28 and 31 seconds. We didn´t change the recipe to the milk. An the taste is dominated by notes of nuts and chocolate.
