From source to sip
The story behind your next cup.
In the far northwest of Guatemala, where the Sierra de los Cuchumatanes climbs higher than any non-volcanic range in Central America, the town of Santa Cruz Barillas sits among steep limestone slopes. Here, 182 women grow coffee that arrives in the cup bright, sweet, and clean. This is the Café de Mujer lot from the ASOBAGRI cooperative.
Huehuetenango is one of only three non-volcanic coffee regions in Guatemala, yet it reaches some of the highest growing altitudes in Central America. Warm winds from Mexico's Tehuantepec Plains push up against the Cuchumatanes peaks and protect the crop from frost, letting cherries ripen slowly in cool, dry mountain air. The limestone soil and that long maturation give Huehuetenango coffees their signature clarity and wine-like brightness, traits that set this region apart from the heavier, chocolate-spice cups of Antigua.
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The Coffee Story
The SourceWomen of the Cuchumatanes
Huehuetenango is one of only three non-volcanic coffee regions in Guatemala, yet it reaches some of the highest growing altitudes in Central America. Warm winds from Mexico's Tehuantepec Plains push up against the Cuchumatanes peaks and protect the crop from frost, letting cherries ripen slowly in cool, dry mountain air. The limestone soil and that long maturation give Huehuetenango coffees their signature clarity and wine-like brightness, traits that set this region apart from the heavier, chocolate-spice cups of Antigua.
The Asociacion Barillense de Agricultores, known as ASOBAGRI, brings together more than 1,400 small farmers across 80 communities around Santa Cruz Barillas. Within the cooperative, the Café de Mujer program supports 182 women members who grow and process this lot on their own small plots and micro-mills. Five women technicians provide training and technical support tailored to the group, and income from projects like avocado trees and local cafeterias gives members options beyond the harvest.
The CraftWashed, Sun-Dried, City+
This lot is fully washed and sun-dried. After picking, the cherries are depulped and the beans ferment to break down the fruit, then rinse clean before drying slowly in the sun. The fully washed process strips away the pulp's sugars so the bean's own character carries the cup, which is why the acidity reads so crisp and the flavors so distinct. Drying on patios and raised beds locks in that transparency.
We roast this coffee to City+, a medium-light level that keeps the fruit-forward sweetness intact rather than burning it off into roast. The aim is to let Huehuetenango's brightness lead, with enough development to round out the body. Each batch is roasted in small lots so the cup stays consistent from one jar to the next.
The CupBright, Sweet, and Smooth
The first sip leads with cherry juice and a tart pop of pink lemonade, the kind of crisp acidity Huehuetenango is known for. Underneath runs a creamy sweetness that the source calls yogurt, soft and rounded, with sweet citrus carrying through the finish. The body sits comfortably in the medium range, enough to balance the brightness without weighing it down. It is a clean, refreshing cup that stays lively as it cools.
