Huehuetenango

Huehuetenango is the highest growing region in Guatemala and is one of only three non-volcanic soil regions in the country. Its clay soils and heavy rainfall make it an ideal environment for high-quality coffee production.

Caturra

A natural mutation of Bourbon, originally discovered in Brazil in the early 20th century; Caturra derives its name from the Guarani word for “small,” a reference to its diminutive stature that results from a single-gene mutation causing dwarfism. It was this small size- allowing for more trees to be planted closer together- that led to mass selections of Caturra being made by the Instituto Agronomico (IAC) of Sao Paulo State in Campinas in the 1930’s. Caturra then made its way to Guatemala during the 1940’s and then was widely adopted in the 1970’s by the rest of Central America, where it is now one of the most economically important varieties. At high altitudes Caturra has strong quality and yield potential but unfortunately, is quite susceptible to disease.

Washed

Benjamin’s de-pulper is located on his farm (instead of at his house, at lower elevation), so he de-pulps the coffee the same day that it’s picked on the farm. After being de-pulped, the coffee undergoes controlled tank fermentation for about twenty-five hours. From there, it’s left for a reposo- a period of time where it’s left under cold water- before washing it. Then, the coffee is brought down to raised beds outside of the house, where it’s left to dry on under mesh coverings over ten to fifteen days.