Guatemala El Bosque

Coffee from Finca El Bosque in Guatemala is a study in how meticulous care and attention in every phase of coffee cultivation and production can result in exceptional cup quality.

Fourth generation coffee producers, Roberto Schwartz and his family have developed numerous exacting quality control processes on their farm and mill southeast of Antigua near Pacaya Volcano National Park. Their extraordinary attention to detail begins in the field with strict pruning, varietal separation, and three passes of handpicking only the ripest cherries.

For even greater quality control, the family owns and operates its own mill where the cherries are sorted by color, sugar content, and density before pulping. Once the outer skin is removed, the cherries are separated by size and sent to tanks to ferment for 24 hours dry and another 24 hours wet. The beans are then washed and sorted by weight and rested in water tanks for another 24 hours before being dried on raised beds for six days—or until 12% moisture content is achieved.

This abundance of care and careful monitoring produce a cup delicate, transparent, and clean. Subtle at first, a mouthfeel soft and creamy lays a foundation for initial flavors of birch and brown sugar that give way to macadamia nut, caramel, and cocoa. These come into sharp focus toward the finish, creating a final impression not unlike a macadamia nut sugar cookie with chocolate chips.