The Case of Antigua Coffee, Guatemala

Antigua is one of Guatemala’s oldest and best-known coffee-growing areas. It is located in the central mountains of the country, shaping a fertile valley surrounded by three volcanoes, Fuego, Agua and Acatenango. Politically, Antigua belongs to the Department of Sacatepequez, in conjunction with another important coffee region called Acatenango. Several factors combine in Antigua to confer special cup characteristics to its coffee: ample rainfall (800 mm– 1,200 mm/year); deep volcanic soil; productive elevations reaching up to 5,600 feet high (1,700 m); and cool temperature (averaging 18° C–22° C with very chilly nights November to February).