Honey Joyabaj, a sweet specialty coffee from Central America for this Christmas season

Christmas is a time of traditions and reunions, of family celebrations. The same thing happens with our coffee; we always choose to present coffees that are especially sweet and aromatic, which are a great accompaniment for these dates. And, as we have done before, we have focused on coffee from Guatemala, an extraordinary coffee growing country. Since its orography and microclimates are so complex (it is called the land of 360 microclimates), we find that the varieties and nuances of its coffees are not only extensive, but also of an outstanding quality.

And if you want to enjoy a sweetened Christmas, in the world of coffee there is nothing sweeter than Honey coffees. For those of you who are not familiar with this type of processing, continue reading until the end of the post where we will tell you a little more about what Honey processing consists of. 

From what region of Guatemala does Honey Joyabaj sweet coffee come from?

Our Christmas coffee comes from Santa Maria de Joyabaj, located in the department of Quiché, in central Guatemala. It is a mountainous area (Joyabaj means "place between stones" in the K'iche' language) and with abundant water, as it is the cradle of several rivers. This generates a rather cold climate, a factor that differentiates this coffee from other nearby areas.

This is a region with strong roots in ancestral Mayan traditions, a fact that is especially appreciated by foreign tourists, and with a very family-oriented economy. The farms are small, and it is the members of the owner families who select and hand-pick the ripest cherries, which are then transported to the Joyabaj mill for processing. 

The country's specialization: a key factor for offering high quality coffee

The new generations of producers have understood that it is better to specialize in quality and sell small lots to different customers in order to have better market power. To achieve this, it is essential to diversify crops (work with different varieties of coffee, and even add other crops such as bananas or oranges), share knowledge with neighboring producers and group together in cooperatives in order to have the necessary technology to develop the highest quality of their coffees. In short: working together to become stronger. 

For the Joyabaj region, the fact of having its own "Beneficio", that is, the place where the cherries are processed to obtain the coffee beans in bags, provides greater quality control over the entire process and allows the producers of the area to better value their product in international markets. 

Honey processing: How is high-quality sweet coffee achieved?

The Honey is a work of craftsmanship in the world of coffee. It consists of leaving part of the pulp in the drying process. This creates a particularly sticky sweet paste similar to honey (hence its name) that must be stirred frequently, otherwise it could produce an over-fermentation that would bring undesirable flavors to the coffee. But there is only one way to do this: by hand. The result is that the remains of the pulp, when fermenting, generate natural sugars that are transferred to the coffee bean, which is why honeys are sweeter and fruitier coffees. 

Tasting note:

If anything can define this coffee, it is "tropical fruit". It stands out for its fruity fragrance reminiscent of mango, with a touch of red fruits. It is a very sweet, complex and complete coffee, roasted to enhance its sweetness, without having a great acidity. Undoubtedly, a coffee to enjoy during these special dates.