GUATEMALAN COFFEE REGIONS PROFILE NO. 2: ANTIGUA

Antigua Guatemala Coffee: Caturra.
Photo Courtesy of Ivan Castro. 

Perhaps the most revered and famous of all the Guatemalan Coffee Regions; Antigua has become the insignia coffee of this country, celebrated around the world for its excellent and wonderful characteristics.
By. Josué Morales


The Antigua Guatemala Region is venerated throughout the world by everyone who has ever tasted, cupped, or roasted coffee from this unique origin. Characterized for being elegant and "outstanding" in the cup, this coffee's complexity varies and exposes a great array of flavors from exotic and tropical fruits, to dark and intense caramel and chocolate flavors. It is best when fresh roasted to a Full or Medium City, but it is definitely worth trying at slightly darker roasts as an Espresso. 


This region is formed by a Valley enclosed by three Volcanoes: Agua, Fuego and Acatenango. It is said to be the birthplace of Guatemalan Coffee, being the oldest region to be cultivating coffee ever since the Jesuit priests brought the plants to Antigua. Its climate is temperate all year round with steady moisture (65%) that makes this a suitable and perfect place for coffee to be slowly nurtured in a Valley whose altitude starts at 5,000 ft. Cool nights finalize the process of stabilization allowing for no extreme climate variations between the dry and wet seasons of Guatemala (unlike the other regions).

Antigua Guatemala Coffee Profile.

The soils in this region are very rich in minerals due to the occasional eruptions of the Volcán de Fuego (The Fire Volcano); and also because of the fact that being an enclosed valley it prevents the soil from severe erosion. The earth from which this coffee thrives was once a virgin forest making the soil rich in potassium that provide for healthy growth.

Antigua Guatemala Coffee Region.
Images by Google.

Antigua (founded by Spanish Conquistadors in 1543) means "the Old City", this region was formerly the capital of Guatemala in the 18th Century until it was partially destroyed by an earthquake in 1717. For 200 years it served as the head of present day Central America and the southern part of México (Chiapas). Called by King Felipe II of Spain "Very Noble and Very Loyal" its recognition as a Colonial City served for its declaration as a World Heritage Site, and its a landmark for tourists that come from all around the world.

Famous for its fine restaurants and hotels, abundant popular food sites, its massive Holy Week Celebrations, hand craft sales and typical candies; Antigua Guatemala is also said to be a place of many ancient stories and legends, and a place where one achieves the best resting sleep thanks to a natural somnific substance inherent in the sands of the volcanoes that have bathed these forests for centuries and whose magical substance is spread each day by the fresh morning dew. These and many other reasons allow for new coffee discoveries every year in the unique plantations of the Antigua Guatemala Coffee Region, it's definitely a coffee to enjoy and continue to celebrate through all the world.  

"Tanque de la Unión." By. Josué Morales