Guatemala Erwin Argueta




GUATEMALA
ERWIN ARGUETA
BLACK CHERRY, RED DELICIOUS APPLE + BRULEE SUGAR, CHOCOLATE MILKSHAKE
BEAN DETAILS:
ORIGIN: Finca Bella Elizabeth, Huehuetenango, Guatemala
PRODUCER: Erwin Argueta
ELEVATION: 1450 - 1600 masl
PROCESS: Fully washed and dried on raised beds
VARIETY: Bourbon, Caturra
TASTING NOTES: Black cherry, red delicious apple, creamy chocolate milkshake, toffee
ROAST TYPE: Light
Farm Level
Erwin Argueta - Finca Bella Elizabeth, Huehuetenango
Family Legacy and Motivation
Erwin is a third-generation coffee grower and perhaps the most motivated and curious, self-described "hustler" coffee producer we work with in Huehuetenango. His grandmother María Figueroa de Argueta first purchased the farm from the municipality of Chiantla in 1953 and planted Typica, Bourbon, and Maragogype trees. She passed the farm down to her son Erwin Sr., who planted more trees, including Caturra, Pache Verde, and Pache Rojo.
Erwin took on the family farm's administration in 2004 after his father passed away, naming the farm Finca Bella Elizabeth after his young daughter, Ana Elizabeth. Despite climate change, low local market prices, and production challenges, he has focused on specialty coffee and prioritized quality—upgrading processing equipment, hiring technical experts to advise on ecological management, and working to be a good steward of the land.
Varieties and Current Challenges
These days, Erwin cultivates several different coffee varieties, including Catimor, Bourbon, Caturra, Gesha, Maragogype, Pacamara, Villa Sarchi, and even a few trees from some SL-28 seeds. His more exotic variety trees are mostly still young and not yet producing enough to export.
His biggest challenge lately has been managing labor on his farm. Across Guatemala—especially in Huehuetenango, which is so close to the border with Mexico—labor is tight as workers continue migrating to the US in search of better economic opportunities. For farms like Erwin's that rely more on paid labor (as opposed to family labor), it's been difficult to find workers, and labor costs have increased. Unpredictable weather shifts from climate change have added an additional layer of complication to the harvest season.
Farm Management
Erwin manages the farm without herbicides, preferring to manage weeds with a machete to protect the soil from erosion and to protect and increase microbial populations in the soil. He uses natural traps to catch coffee borer beetles (which cause broca) and applies a leaf spray to protect against coffee leaf rust. He maintains natural water treatment wells that treat washing water in three phases to ensure he's not dumping dirty, acidic honey water onto the farm. He's also working with the local council on an agroforestry project to conserve native trees on his farm.
Erwin is interested in adjusting his agricultural practices toward a more organic management style, but he's understandably hesitant to make too many big adjustments for something that represents his livelihood. He's concerned about decreasing efficiency, having to pay more for labor hours, and he's experimented with a worm compost system twice, only to have the worms die both times.
Processing Methods
Processing on the farm is traditional and not highly technified. He floats the cherries to remove over- and under-ripe cherries, then pulps the coffee and ferments it in an open tank (protected by a roof providing shade) for about 18 hours before washing the coffee, sorting it through channels, and drying it on his patio. He's been experimenting with a few other processes as well, producing both honey and natural lots and drying them on raised beds.
He recently upgraded his fermentation tank from a wooden tank to a newly installed cement tank and fixed up his washing channels to include ceramic tiles, which make them easier to keep clean.
General Brewing Instructions
- Filtered water. Spring water is ideal. Removing chloride, sulfur, and iron is essential.
- A burr grinder. The more even the coffee particles, the better the coffee. Burr grinders, whether manual or electric, will do a better job than "whirly-blade" grinders. Invest in a burr grinder. Your taste buds (and coffee roaster) will thank you.
- A scale. I know using a scale can seem a bit like you're doing something you shouldn't be. Trust me, you can only brew consistently great coffee with a scale. Water and coffee are hard to measure without one.
- Clean equipment. Properly cleaning your equipment is the only way to avoid stale and rancid coffee flavors entering your cup. Please keep your equipment clean. The sooner and more often you clean your gear, the easier it will be in the long run. Add it to your ritual and thank us later.
- Delicious and freshly roasted Color Coffee
- Hario V60 02. Check out Scott Rao's video on how to brew a better pourover than your local cafe does.
- French Press. Check out James Hoffman's video on how to brew a next level cup.
- Aeropress. Check out Tim Wendelboe's video on how to brew an exceptionally easy and delicious cup.
Coffee Faq
IS YOUR COFFEE ORGANIC OR FAIR TRADE?
In many cases, yes. However, our first priority is quality and flavor. Sometimes these priorities align and our producers are certified organic and/or fair trade. We always pay well above fair trade rates (which are quite low and don’t guarantee sustainability or quality).
Often times, the producers we work with are too small to gain certifications. It’s expensive and laborious. Many of our producers are certified organic and fair trade, including many of our producers in Peru, Ethiopia, and Mexico.
WHAT IS THE BEST TIME-FRAME TO DRINK MY COFFEE?
We recommend drinking our coffee within one month of the roast date. Most of our coffees taste best however within 2 - 14 days of roast date.
For espresso, we recommend using coffee that has rested at least 7 days after roast date. This is because coffee gives off CO2 after roasting that can interfere with extraction. One way to get around this is to let your ground espresso dose sit for 30-120 minutes before pulling the shot. Email info@colorroasters.com for more questions about this.
If you are pre-grinding the coffee, we recommend drinking the coffee within one week of grinding.
CAN YOU GRIND MY COFFEE ON WEB ORDERS?
Yes, we can. Please select how you want your coffee to be ground at the time you place your order. Simply click on the arrow beside "Grind" and make your selection. If you need help choosing let us know the brewing method you will be using to prepare the coffee, in the notes of the order. And we will be happy to grind the coffee for you on our commercial grinder.
DO YOU HAVE BREW RECIPES?
These are in the works! We are compiling a bunch and even shooting some video, to help you brew like us at home.
In the meantime...go here: Pour Overs | Aeropress to get some expert advice.
MY COFFEE TASTES WEAK, WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?