Thursday, July 10, 2008

Guatemala Fraijanes - Finca Agua Tibia

I don't know why, but Guatemalan coffee just makes me yawn. It is good enough, I suppose, but I find it unexciting. I find myself a bit bipolar when it comes to coffee. I like really wild coffees like various dry-processed kinds from Ethiopia and elsewhere. At the same time, I like real simple, clean coffees from Mexico and Costa Rica. The Guats have a strange herbal thing going on for me that just doesn't thrill me.

This coffee is good enough, but not one I would buy again. Translating the name into English via Babelfish, we get "lukewarm property water", which is amusing. We'll stick to Spanish where it sounds more exotic. I roasted this coffee hot and fast, looking to preserve acidity and accentuate the bright notes:



The coffee has a very strong aroma of cloves, and something close to rose hips. The body has that typical bourbon creaminess, and a nice amount of bittersweet chocolate in the finish. This is definitely a coffee that would be a crowd pleaser; tastes like most people think coffee should taste, with some potent flavors and a bit of an interesting aroma. For me, I find it forgettable.

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