The coffee region of Antigua is an enclosed valley formed by three volcanoes: Agua, Acatenango and Fuego. Its terrain is flat and gently sloping, unlike the other volcanic coffee regions, which are more rugged. Most of the coffee trees are planted on the valley floor, already at 5,000 feet; and, some farmers also cultivate the slopes of the volcanoes up to 5,600 feet. The high pumice content in Antigua’s soil (from the active Fuego volcano) keeps the relative humidity steady at 65 percent year round, unlike the other coffee regions, where humidity varies significantly between dry and rainy seasons.
Rich volcanic soil, low humidity, lots of sun and cool nights characterize the Antigua region. The valley is dominated by the magnificent Agua, Acatenango and Fuego volcanoes. Every once in a while, Fuego –one of Guatemala’s three active volcanoes– adds a fresh dusting of mineral rich ash to Antigua’s soil. Volcanic pumice in the soil retains moisture, which helps offset Antigua’s low rainfall, the lowest of Guatemala’s eight coffee regions. Like all of Guatemala’s specialty coffee, Antigua Coffee is cultivated under shade. In Antigua, shade is especially dense to protect the coffee trees from the region’s occasional frost during the chilly nights from December to February. The dense shade, combined with the region’s shallow water table, produces a distinct microclimate within the coffee fields.
