A microclimate shaped by the volcano

Culpan receives an average annual rainfall of 3,770 mm, a very high figure that places the farm among the rainiest areas of western Guatemala. This abundance of water, together with the forest shade, sustains the cool and humid environment that high-altitude Arabica coffee needs.

The farm stretches between 1,280 and 1,524 metres above sea level, on the foothills of the Santiaguito volcano, in the municipality of Colomba, Quetzaltenango. Coffee is grown in the higher band (1,371-1,524 m) and macadamia in the middle band (1,271-1,432 m).

The Santiaguito shapes the entire microclimate of the farm. Its ash falls continuously over the plantation and, over time, has formed a layer of pumice that enriches the soil and retains moisture. The volcanic relief also generates clouds and frequent rain that keep the environment cool.

The cool and humid environment, combined with altitude, makes the bean ripen much more slowly than in warmer areas. That slow ripening concentrates sugars and aromatic compounds, resulting in an Arabica coffee with body, marked sweetness and the cup complexity typical of the Guatemalan origin.

Yes, Guatemala has a very pronounced rainy season from May to October and a drier period from November to April. The coffee harvest coincides with this drier stage, which allows the ripe cherry to be picked and the parchment to be sun-dried on the patios of the mill.

27% of Culpan's land is kept as native forest. This plant cover regulates temperature, retains moisture, protects water springs and provides shade for the coffee. Without that forest, the high-altitude microclimate that defines the farm would be much harder to maintain.