Another year of great Guatemala Coffee success.

/files/u3/Frentemquina1.jpg" title="Raul Rodas, first Latin America to score that high (courtesy of Roukiat Delrue)" alt="Raul Rodas, first Latin America to score that high (courtesy of Roukiat Delrue)" vspace="5" width="270" height="200" hspace="5" />/files/u3/Levantandopremio.jpg" title="Hector González after getting right all sets of coffee within 4 minutes (courtesy of González)" alt="Hector González after getting right all sets of coffee within 4 minutes (courtesy of González)" vspace="5" width="270" height="200" hspace="5" />

Rodas occupied the highest position by a Latin American.           González after getting all triangulations right within 4 minutes.

(Photos by Roukiat Delrue and González)

 

Despite the normal weather situations growers must affront, the coffee year came to an end.  A total of 3.44 million bags of 60 kilos were exported during 2009/2010 crop.  72% was SHB (coffee grown above 1,400 MASL). 38% of the total was exported to USA,followed by Japan with 15%, Canada and Germanywith 9% each and the rest of Europe with 17%.

Compared to last year's crop, only about 10% was lost. Nevertheless, weatherconditions during 2010 are threatening to reduce it even more.  Also, in June, during the Specialty CoffeeAssociation of Europe Exhibition and Conference in London, Hector González and Raul Rodas won 1^stand 2^nd. Places in the World Tasters Championship and World BaristaChampionship. Please, help Guatemalamake a change in local consumption as well!  We urgently need to drink quality coffee, properlyroasted and prepared.

In general, I believe it was a year of positive results. I have always said that if I was to choose between being a farmer or a buyer, for obvious reasons,I would definitely choose the second option.  

Growers are brave and accept with almost a submissive manner Nature's will.On the other hand, if you experienced planting any seed, and you have watched how it starts to open its life to the sunshine or how its leaves welcome rains in April or May, then you understand there is a lot of their own life into those coffee plants. Only then, you will also understand why they state with absolute confidence that they grow the best coffee in the world.

And I also believed Guatemalawas the best in the whole wide world.  Until I understood coffee is just like human diversity.  It grows every where, naturally or artificially (not yet totally with humans, but let's say in-vitro), in different microclimates, with different varietals and heritages, providing a different taste profile depending on the different roasting and preparation methods you can possibly know.

Only then, I understood that there is coffee for every single palate. Guatemala was not the best, but one of the finest and most delightful origins. It will always be among the distinctive selections of connoisseurs and it will always surprise you with unique an outstanding characteristics in your cup.