Guatemala

Good quality coffee, like wine, holds a certain prestige and makes every cup a delightful addition in the daily routine. Years ago, coffee was merely regarded a morning drink but have later evolved to become an all day drink. There are even a growing number of people today who requires a steady supply of coffee to survive through the daily grind of the corporate life. The incessant demand for quality coffee made it the second highly valuable traded commodity, closely playing next to the petroleum trade. However, the stark distinction of coffee from the highly lucrative petroleum industry is the fact that it is produced over 20 million coffee farmers from around the world. It’s small wonder why a lot of coffee brands spew out highly exotic country of origins on their labels and colorful packaging.

The magnificent highlands of Guatemala are home to the finest coffee beans in the world, with its distinct aroma and rich flavors. The natural shade coverings provided by the jungles of Guatemala presents a perfect environment for Bourbon varieties of Arabica coffee beans to thrive, which ultimately produces a unique ‘coffee character’ in every cup. Coffee experts claim the proper levels of shade usually results to slower growing crops, which attributes to the highly developed richness and intricate flavors. Guatemala Antigua coffee is considered to the oldest and most popular variety produced in the highland regions, and is considered to be among the most expensive ones. This is because the rich volcanic soil of Agua, Fuego and Acatenango are the most ideal ingredients for growing premium grade coffee. This makes Antiguan coffee the most sought after coffee variety by top coffee connoisseurs from every parts of the world.

Just recently the organic green Guatemala coffee beans were becoming more and more popular because some claims that it contains medicinal properties. While coffee is among the primary crops of Guatemala, farmers are grossly underpaid for the quality beans they produce. This is just among the sad realities in the coffee industry, that like other developing countries, farmers only get a measly 1% of the total cost of every cup of coffee you purchase from the elite cafes and coffee houses flourishing in America and other coffee lover countries in the world. It doesn’t take any computations to realize that the farmers are foully shortchanged and only the mercenary manufacturers stands to gain in all the highly lucrative demand for coffee. However, with the creation of the Fair Trade Policy to safeguard the interest of the farmers, they will hopefully be given the proper trade considerations that will ensure they get what they rightfully deserve.

As for caffeine junkies like you, your primary concern would have to be on how to take full advantage of the perfectly expensive Guatemala specialty coffee beans that have probably cost a fortune. While it is true that the origin of the coffee speaks highly on the quality of your cup, one has to readily concede that the inside secret is in fact in the brew itself. So what do you have to know in making Guatemalan coffee? No sense of wasting premium quality beans, right?

Well, one integral factor in making coffee is actually in the water. You have to remember that your cup of coffee is actually 90 % water; so choosing the right water is essential to achieve the full flavor of the beans. Using tap water in brewing Guatemalan coffee is actually considered a blunder among connoisseurs and coffee snobs. Medium mineral water would be the ideal choice as it is has been observed to bring out the rich flavors of coffee best. Never allow your coffee to boil as this will only produce a bitter aftertaste to it and ruin the body of the coffee. Storing your beans in an airtight container and well away from direct heat would help preserve the flavor of the beans.

Now that you have more or less a keen understanding on the Guatemalan coffee trade along with a few handy tips on how to prepare it, you will hopefully have a more insightful and appreciative coffee experience.