Guatemala Microlot #7 Mejia Lopez
About This Coffee
The Region
Martha’s farm is situated at an extremely high altitude of 1,920masl, providing cooler temperatures which allow coffee cherries to mature slowly and develop more complexity in the cup. The region is consistently dry during the harvest and processing season, allowing for consistent processing and relatively easy transportation. San Pedro Necta is a subregion of Huehuetenango, western Guatemala. While Huehuetenango is well known for coffee production, San Pedro Necta is a relatively new coffee subregion.
Huehuetenango is the highest altitude region cultivating coffee in Guatemala. Thanks to the dry, hot winds that blow into the mountains from Mexico, the region is protected from frost allowing Highland Huehue to be cultivated up to 6500 feet (almost 2000m). The extreme remoteness of Huehuetenango means that most producers need to process their coffee themselves. Fortunately the region has plentiful water supply with many rivers and streams, so a mill can be placed almost anywhere. An abundance of local knowledge and skill also means that while home-processed, these coffees are treated with excellent attention to detail and are the amongst the most sought after in Guatemala due to their high quality cup.
History of Guatemalan Coffee
Although coffee was brought over from the Caribbean in the mid-18th century by Jesuit priests, it was used primarily as an ornamental plant and garden crop for 100 years in Guatemala. Coffee wasn’t widely traded, however, until commercial production began in the 1850s. The volcanic soil and various micro-climates proved ideal for growing coffee in Guatemala. Coffee, within a generation, became the country’s most important crop. In 1860, Guatemala exported 140,000 pounds of coffee, and just 25 years later, the country was exporting over 40 million pounds. Large numbers of coffee farmers were German immigrants responsible for many inventions and innovations related to coffee milling. Most of Guatemala’s coffee was exported to Germany until the First World War, when exports shifted to the United States.
- Subregion San Pedro Necta
- Farm Name Martha Mejia Lopez
- Producer Type Single Estate
- Processing Washed
- Plant Species Arabica
- Variety Caturra, Pache
- Screen Size 15 Up
- On Sale No
- Top Lot No
- Price Per Kg €5.25
- Status Spot
- Coffee Grade GTM CA WA SHB HH
- CTRM Contract Number P8000234-1
- Origin Guatemala
- Warehouse Vollers Hamburg