About This Coffee
Almost 2 centuries ago, when the grandfather of the current owners of Finca El Potosi was a young man, he moved with his own father from his home in San Marcos to Huehuetenango. In Huehuetenango, they farmed Finca El Potosi, then just 2 hectares. Each year, it took them 6 days to bring their coffee on the backs of 10 mules to Huehuetenango City.
Over time, they continued to grow their farm, originally 2 hectares, as they prospered. Today, the Ramirez family cultivates 90 hectares of Caturra, Bourbon and Pacamara plants.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
After selective handpicking, cherry is pulped and fermented for 48 to 72 hours. After fermentation, parchment is agitated to remove remaining mucilage and washed with clean water.
They then lay the wet parchment to dry on patios. Drying parchment is raked frequently to ensure even drying.
About Huehuetenango
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.
Coffee in Guatemala
Guatemala boasts a variety of growing regions and conditions that produce spectacular coffees. Today, the country is revered as a producer of some of the most flavorful and nuanced cups worldwide. We are proud to work with several exceptional in-country partners to bring these coffees to market.
The Guatemalan coffee industry experienced a major setback with the 2010 appearance of Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) in Latin America. The epidemic peaked in severity in 2012, and though CLR continues to affect some farms, Guatemala continues to produce high-quality, record-breaking coffees. In 2017, new and varied processing methods pushed prices at the Guatemalan Cup of Excellence contest to record highs.
The quality of coffee being produced in Guatemala is increasing, overall, due to the diversity of the industry’s producers. There are more and more small holder farmers producing exceptional coffee at high altitudes. Cooperatives are becoming more appealing to so many smallholders because they often offer farmers financing and other support for improving their farming and processing and are frequently able to offer higher prices for cherry than middlemen. Many cooperatives have initiated quality improvement training for farmer members and are becoming more adept at helping members market their coffee as specialty.