Acatenango Valley is a
hidden jewel in the world of Guatemalan coffees.
Since the 1880’s, farmers have grown coffee
under dense shade, on the foothills of Acatenango
volcano. Today, small producers and family-run farms
cultivate the hills as high as 6,500 feet (2000 meters).
The forest
they create is a gift; a lush ecological refuge for
countless species of local and migratory birds. Temperate
gusts from the Pacific Ocean shield the region from
frost and infuse the air with the ideal amount of
humidity.
Constant
eruptions from nearby Fuego volcano keep the coarse,
sandy soils full of minerals. Marked seasons allow
coffee to be sun-dried, and processing follows age-old
family traditions.
Starting on December until the
middle of March every year, over 3,000 producing
units from the zone devote to pick the valued grains
that may belong to the varieties Bourbón,
Caturra or Catuaí. The result is an exquisite,
fragrant coffee, with a marked acidity, balanced
body and a clean, lingering finish, able
to satisfy to the most demanding consumers. |