Searching for the best coffee in Antigua
COFFEE REVIEW
I’m no coffee aficionado, but I like coffee. In the early 2000s I learned from a befriended roaster in Antigua, Guatemala, to love light roasts. Up to then, I was going with darker and darker roasts. Then, I learned the true beauty of the coffee bean comes out in the light roasts. This roaster is gone now and, so, this year I decided to go on a search for the best coffee in Antigua. This is fun; tasting some of the best coffees in the world. I prepared them with a drip coffee maker. I know that’s not very fancy, but if a cup tastes good in this process, then it will only be better in all other processes. Here is my review of the first round of contenders.
El Portal Cafe
Q95
This is a very mild coffee minus any coffee bitterness. Wait. Is there any coffee in this cup? It seems a better tasting version of the see-through coffee my parents used to drink. Its lightness would be perfect for steamed milk drinks or light syrups.
El Gran Cafe
Finca Huixoc from Huehuetenango
Q160
Perfect composition of great caffe flavor without the bitterness. For those who like drinking a cup black, it is a good choice. It has a (very) subtle flavor I would equate to earthy-raisin. The package claims ‘chocolate with raisin’ and a flowery bouquet, but much of that is lost on me. I really like this much better than I would if it had all that complexity. This is a really good cup of coffee. It’s a go-to choice for me, in the running for best coffee of Antigua, being only the 2nd I’ve tried.
El Gran Cafe
Todos Santos Cuchumantan from Huehuetenango
Q160
I had to have 4 cups of this roast before forming my opinion. Like the Huixoc roast, this is also mui suave. It has a very slight bitter aftertaste, like it’s saying, “yes, I’m a volcanic coffee.” The bag says “cake with cherry and nuts” but it’s not that sweet. I was going to say a distant hint of avocado. It also says “bright acidity,” with which I agree.
Ampersand
Despertarse from Huehuetenango
Q95
Despertarse is right! This ‘light’ roast slapped me in the face! A brilliant bitterness precedes an acidic aftertaste reminiscent of popping a coffee bean straight into my mouth. If you want a finca stovetop experience, this is the one for you. Personally, I like to be nudged awake.
12 Onzas
Concepcion Buena Vista
Q120
Here’s a perplexing bean from the north (Chilmaltenango); red bourbon variety. The staff told me, in English, that it had cranberries and cocoa beans in it, which I took to mean they added to it. The bag says “notes of plum, blueberries, and cocoa,” which usually take to mean a natural flavor coming through. In tasting, I definitely get the plum; it’s like a sliver of a fresh prune was dropped into the drink. It also has a very, very slight bitterness of the cocoa bean (not the coffee bean). I don’t know if it’s natural or added, but I like it…very unique taste that is otherwise quite smooth. Not every day, but occasionally.
In conclusion, these are all better than you will find on your grocery store shelf. You really can’t go wrong. Finding the best is like finding the cell of the honeycomb that has the sweetest honey.
Having said that, I have to rate the Finca Huixoc from Huehuetenango (sold at El Gran Café) as the number one best coffee in Antigua. The delicate and smooth taste says “This is an arabica coffee bean!” Just pour me a cup and leave the pot on the table.