Guatemala Huehuetenango Coffee
Café de Huehue
Stone fruit, cocoa and gentle cinnamon from the high western corner of Guatemala.
A washed coffee from Huehuetenango, in the highlands of western Guatemala near the Mexican border. Balanced and sweet, it tastes of stone fruit and cocoa with brown sugar and a touch of cinnamon, and it works as batch brew or espresso.
Sensory profile
You should taste
How it unfolds
Where it sits
That is 90 mg in one serving (8 oz cup (240ml)), a concentration of 37.5 mg per 100 ml. The scale above ranks whole servings, and servings differ in size, so a larger drink can sit further right while being weaker cup for cup.
Editorial estimate, not a laboratory measurement
Related gear
| Brewing method | Batch Brew or Espresso |
|---|---|
| Coffee-to-water ratio | 1:17 |
| Dose in & yield out | 18g → 300g |
| Grind size | Medium |
| Water temperature | 199°F / 93°C |
| Target brew time | 3:00 |
| Serving | 8 oz cup (240ml) |
What you need
- 18 g whole coffee beans, freshly roasted, ground fresh for espresso
- Filtered water for the machine, ideally 75–150 ppm total hardness
Required gear
- Espresso machine capable of 9 bar
- Burr grinder with fine adjustment
- Bottomless or spouted portafilter
- Tamper and levelling tool
- Scale accurate to 0.1 g
- Timer
Step-by-step protocol
- 0:00Grind 18 g of beans to a medium texture straight into the portafilter basket.
- 0:10Distribute until the bed is level, then tamp flat with steady pressure. Level matters more than force.
- 0:20Lock in and start the shot immediately — a hot basket sitting idle scorches the grounds.
- 0:25Watch the stream: it should start dark and thin at around 8 seconds, then turn honey-colored.
- 3:20Stop at roughly 36 g in the cup — a 1:2 ratio. Serve at once; espresso does not wait.
Troubleshooting
What it may be good for
A number worth knowing
We list about 90 mg for an 8 oz cup.
A daily-drinking coffee
Balanced, sweet coffees like this one are easy to drink every day, and they hold up to both filter and espresso brewing.
What to watch out for
- Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much is right for you.
A washed coffee from Huehuetenango, in the highlands of western Guatemala near the Mexican border. Balanced and sweet, it tastes of stone fruit and cocoa with brown sugar and a touch of cinnamon, and it works as batch brew or espresso.
Origin & Story
Guatemala's coffee story is the story of one crop taking over a country. The industry began to develop in the 1850s and 1860s, and after the Liberal Revolution of 1871 it expanded quickly. In 1860 coffee made up about 1 percent of Guatemala's exports; by 1880 it accounted for 92 percent of their value.
The benefits were uneven. A land decree in 1877 opened the way for large-scale land dispossession, and by the end of the 20th century 65 percent of the arable land was owned by 2 percent of the population. Today coffee is still grown across the highlands, and Guatemala's national coffee association, Anacafé, founded in 1960, organizes the country into eight regions, from Antigua and Atitlán to Cobán and Huehuetenango.
Huehuetenango lies in the far west, against the Mexican border, on the Cuchumatanes, the highest non-volcanic mountains in Central America. Coffee there grows at up to about 2,000 meters, high enough for frost to be a worry, and hot winds blowing in from Mexico's Tehuantepec plains help keep the cold off the highest farms.
That combination gives slow-ripening, dense cherries and a cup that is balanced and sweet: stone fruit and cocoa, brown sugar, and a hint of cinnamon. It does the same job in a big batch-brewed pot as it does in an espresso machine, which is why it works for both.
Reading the Flavor Profile
| Axis | Score |
|---|---|
| Sweetness | 80/100 |
| Acidity | 62/100 |
| Bitterness | 30/100 |
| Body | 68/100 |
| Aroma | 84/100 |
These values are comparative editorial positions within our own catalog, calibrated so entries can be ranked against each other. They are not laboratory measurements.
How much caffeine is in Guatemala Huehuetenango Coffee?
One serving, 8 oz cup (240ml), contains approximately 90 mg of caffeine.
What temperature should I use for Guatemala Huehuetenango Coffee?
Target 93°C (199°F) at the group head. Too cool and the shot runs sour and thin; too hot and it turns bitter and ashy.
How long should Guatemala Huehuetenango Coffee be extracted?
Timing: 3:00. Method: Batch Brew or Espresso. Ratio: 60g/L (18g coffee to 300g water). Grind or leaf format: Medium.
Why does my Guatemala Huehuetenango Coffee taste bitter?
Bitter espresso is usually over-extraction: the shot ran too long, the grind is too fine, the water is too hot, or the roast is very dark. Grind a little coarser, stop the shot at about a 1:2 ratio (18 g of coffee to 36 g in the cup, for example), and change one thing at a time.
Why are there so many coffee regions in Guatemala?
Guatemala's mountains, volcanoes and valleys create very different growing conditions over a small area. Anacafé, the national coffee association, recognizes eight regions: Acatenango Valley, Antigua, Atitlán, Cobán, Fraijanes Plateau, Huehuetenango, Nuevo Oriente and San Marcos.
Can this coffee be used for espresso?
Yes. A balanced, sweet washed coffee with cocoa and stone-fruit notes works as espresso as well as filter coffee. If it tastes sour as espresso, grind a little finer.
Who should avoid Guatemala Huehuetenango Coffee?
Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much is right for you. This information is educational and is not medical advice. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, managing a cardiac or gastrointestinal condition, or taking prescription medication, discuss caffeine and botanical intake with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes.
What people say
Breville Bambino Plus Compact Espresso
In this recipe: Espresso machine capable of 9 bar
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