Coffee Beans

Guatemala

R132.00

SHB is an altitude grade. To earn it, coffee has to be grown at 1,200 metres above sea level or higher, where cooler air slows the ripening of the cherry. That extra time on the tree is what builds a harder, denser bean, and density is what gives you the sweetness and clarity in the cup. Guatemala packs an enormous range of microclimates and growing regions into a small country, which is a large part of why it is regarded as one of the worlds great origins. The coffees are layered and expressive, and we're fortunate to work with partners on the ground who know how to find them. It has not been an easy run. Coffee Leaf Rust arrived in Latin America in 2010 and hit hardest in 2012, and some farms still carry the damage. Even so, Guatemalan quality has climbed rather than fallen. By 2017, experimental processing had pushed Cup of Excellence prices to record levels. Much of that momentum comes from the bottom up. More smallholders are producing exceptional coffee at high altitude, and more of them are joining cooperatives ,which tend to pay better for cherry than middlemen, offer financing and agronomic support, and run quality training for their members. Increasingly, they're helping farmers take their coffee to market as specialty in its own right.

- +

Coming Soon