Guatemala El Sendero

Arrived early June, new crop in grainpro. El Sendero is a washed coffee from the highly mountainous Huehuetenango region of Guatemala.

For those unfamiliar with the region, Huehuetenango (often just called "Huehue" and pronounce "Way-Way") is in the far western reaches of Guatemala, and home to at least two of the most noted and award winning coffee farms in the whole country. While this coffee is not from those farms, the area is replete with excellent farms, due in large part to ideal natural farming conditions and an increasing awareness of growing techniques among producers. A rocky and extremely mountainous zone, Huehuetenango has become one of the epicenters of Guatemala's coffee culture and production. The combination of high elevation and cooler temperatures mean that coffee grows a little slower and more concentrated.

The El Sendero farm was started back in 2002, when the owner, Carlos Lucas, bought two hectares of land with money he saved while working in the United States for seven years. When he is not busy on the farm, Carlos runs a small tienda (shop) in the town of Hoja Blanca, and in 2017 also started construction on another bodega to help store his coffee.

• Producer: Carlos Lucas
• Region: Huehuetenango
• Altitude: 1900 Meters above sea level
• Coffee variety: A mix of Catuai, Bourbon and Caturra
• Coffee grade: SHB (Strictly Hard Bean)
• Processing: Fully washed