~Whole Bean Coffee~
Tasting Notes: Hazelnut, Dark Chocolate, Honey
Grower: Association of Special Coffee Producers of Huehuetenango (ASOPCE) | 450 members
Variety: Bourbon, Catuai, Caturra, Pache, and San Ramon
Region: Huehuetenango, Guatemala
Process: Fully Washed and Sundried
Altitude: 1,350 to 2,050 m asl
Soil: Clay Minerals
Grower Certifications: Organic
While the terrain is rugged and the weather is extreme in Huehuetenango, coffee grows well there. This coffee is grown and harvested by 450 family farms that average just a few acres in size. These farmers work together through a cooperative called the Association of Special Coffee Producers of Huehuetenango (ASOPCE) to overcome the obstacles of cultivating and exporting coffee in this region. Each family uses their own micro-mill to process their coffee harvest, this allows for meticulous care in cherry selection, de-pulping, fermenting, and drying. ASOPCE has a centralized warehouse for storing dried parchment until it is time to transport the coffee across the country along rough roads to Guatemala City where the coffee is prepared for export. Through ASOPCE, producers have gained access to technical assistance for managing their farms with the best agricultural practices. For example, the use of coffee pulp to make organic fertilizers has helped to reduce the transportation costs associated with purchasing fertilizer from afar; this has created an abundant source of fertilizer that promotes greater yields and quality. ASOPCE partners with an export company called BICAFE which has a dry-mill facility powered by 250 solar panels.
