GUATEMALA NUEVO | July 2024
We love Guatemalan coffee here at Merlo, and long term Bean of the Month drinkers will remember previous July features such as the Todosanteria in 2022, and Boqueron in 2021. Guatemala Nuevo is very much in the Boqueron vein: a rich, boozy-bodied coffee with a flavour profile akin to a slice of black forest cake.
The aroma is gently sweet, with notes of strawberry, honey, and coffee blossom. The flavours are much heavier: dark chocolate, blackberry, and a hint of nutmeg, finishing with luxurious cherry liqueur. Altogether the Guatemala Nuevo is elegant yet decadent, particularly when brewed as an espresso based coffee or on a stovetop.
Unusually for Guatemala, this is a natural process coffee, and this has created the full body while softening the acidity. Rather than a citric tartness, the crispness comes through the berry and spice notes, so this will suit fans of bold flavours who prefer less sharpness.
This Bean of the Month is a combined lot created from the harvest of 250 smallholder farmers in the southeastern department of Santa Rosa. The trees are planted up the mountain side to an altitude of 1900 metres above sea level, and the warm days and cool nights slow the cherry ripening so the resulting beans have wonderful depth and persistence of flavour.
COFFEE ORIGIN
Country: Guatemala
Region: Santa Rosa
Producer: 250 smallholders
Varietals: Catuai, Caturra, Typica, Villa Sarchi
Process: Natural
Altitude: 1000 – 1900m above seal level
Guatemala Nuevo comes from the Santa Rosa department in the southeast of Guatemala. High elevations create high quality coffees, as the warm days and cool nights slow the ripening process, allowing the cherries to develop depth and strength of flavour. Nuevo is the product of 250 small lot producers, and their coffee trees are planted up to 1900 metres above the sea level.
Most coffees in Guatemala are wet processed, wherein the cherries are removed and the coffee beans soaked to remove any fruit and produce clean coffees with higher acidity. Nuevo is an exception – a natural processed coffee which has been dried in the cherry skin for higher body and softer acidity. This process, combined with the high altitude creates the rich flavour profile which makes Guatemala Nuevo such a standout.
TASTING NOTES & CUPPING PROFILE
Aromas: strawberry, honey, coffee blossom
Flavours: dark chocolate, blackberry, nutmeg
Acidity: mild, sweet
Body: heavy, boozy
Aftertaste: cherry liqueur
Cupping Score: 86.5 /100
The aroma is gently sweet, with notes of strawberry, honey, and coffee blossom. The flavours are much heavier: dark chocolate, blackberry, and a hint of nutmeg, finishing with luxurious cherry liqueur.
Altogether the Guatemala Nuevo is elegant yet decadent, a perfect choice for coffee drinkers who love strong flavours without too much tartness.
BREW GUIDE
Big flavours are intensified in a stovetop coffee maker, and Guatemala Nuevo is a brilliant candidate for this traditional Italian coffee making method.
To make a great stovetop coffee, fill the bottom chamber with filtered water to just below the valve. It is vitally important that you don’t overfill your coffee maker – we do not want any coffee bombs exploding in your kitchen!
Next fill the basket with a medium-coarse grind coffee and distribute the grinds by giving the basket a light tap on the bench to knock out any air pockets, and levelling off the coffee grounds to create an even surface.
Assemble your coffee maker and put on medium heat, removing it from heat when you hear the brewed coffee begin to gurgle and splutter through the centre into the top chamber. This means most of the water from the bottom chamber has made its way through and your coffee is nearly ready.
Pour into cups warmed with hot water, and serve as is, or add hot water to make a long black, or some warmed milk to make a latte. Enjoy!