Huehuetenango
Welcome to the Espresso Idiot's review of Huehuetenango. Huehuetenango is an espresso coffee available either ground to your requirements, or in bean form from the good folks at Mayan Coffee. This outfit is a real backyard business. The Espresso Idiot took the time to travel to Bondi Junction and check out the main "store". In fact, this is not a store, but a house in the traditional hacienda style. Presumably this is where the owners of Mayan Coffee reside, however at the time of my call no one could be roused. Fortunately for me, I had checked out Pulp in Bondi Junction, where Mayan Coffee's Huehuetenango retails at a price cheaper than you can get it from the source. Good stuff.
Mayan Coffee can be found at several markets around the Sydney area, the brand having previously been spotted by Espresso Idiot while carousing the Manly Market. Visit the web site (link below) to check what markets Guatemalan Traders will be attending to sell their products.
There is another dimension to Guatemalan Traders, the coffee is billed as being "non-colonialistic". Apparently this relates to issues about the divergence in profit bewteen the growth side of coffee, and the profits made in the consumption area of coffee. Apparently this coffee is "hand picked by Guatemalan natives" and "your consumption of coffee provides the means for the children in the Highlands of Guatemala to escape the prolonged despair of exploitation". This is truly the Espresso Idiot's kind of coffee, you can drink it and help save the world at the same time! Two birds with one stone. At AU$12.95 for a 250g bag (from Pulp, the RRP is AU$14.95 according to Pulp, but is for sale on the net at AU$13.95) this coffee is in the top bracket in terms of price.
"This is top draw stuff, well worth the extra premium charged by the importers of this coffee. Those of you with a conscience can sip your coffee with ease knowing that it is imported and while a profit is undoubtedly made, it is made in the spirit of social justice. The complete coffee experience; you can save the world while imbibing the drink of the Gods. Fantastic" .
Espresso Idiot, 30 September 2006.
Summary Information
Overall Score: A true gourmet coffee. Not to be missed, the best the Idiot has reviewed so far. 9 out of 10.
Packaging: Plastic zip lock bag with valve to allow bean gasses to escape packaging. Fetching black design, with stuck on labels. Clear plastic on reverse side allowing unimpeded view of the state of the beans. Plenty of information about product and wholesaler on packaging. 9 out of 10.
Bean Type: 100% arabica. 9 out of 10.
Crema: Thick, caramel in colour, evenly dispersed on the shot. 9 out of 10.
Aroma: Another strong aspect of this coffee, both in bean form, once ground, and also once the shot has been made. A great coffee at any stage of the day. 9 out of 10.
Taste: Clean, crisp, full bodied, and well finished. Hints of chocolate, and a fine aftertaste. 9 out of 10.
Web Site: Mayan Coffee (Non-Colonialistic Coffee)
Contact Details: Ph: (02) 9386-4199
Review
Huehuetenango is a top of the range coffee supplied by Guatemalan Traders. This outfit are more easily contacted under their trading name, Mayan Coffee. Everything about this trading group seems backyard, small business. They seem to trade without a trading premises, although their material refers to a shop in Bondi Junction. This is in fact a home, and it is clear that the business is run from here. Perhaps this is part of the social justice feel that the company projects. In any event, in the important parts, Mayan Coffee really produce the goods with Heuheutenango.
This is a true single origin pre-roasted coffee that you can purchase from the trader, or from other retailers that may be more well known to consumers, such as Pulp. It is a good idea to shop around and check out Pulp for this product as it is cheaper from them than it is direct from the source. As a non-blended espresso this coffee can be blended by you with other beans you may have available to experiment in producing the perfect coffee. With this as part of the mix you are already part of the way there.
Huehuetenango is 100% Arabica and the blurbs on the packaging indicate that this bean is being pitched at the gourmet end of the market. Huehuetenango is made for the afficionado, and it shows. The beans are sourced in Guatemala according to the company, and are roasted and sold within Australia to the consumer. Altitude and bean type combine to produce a great espresso coffee. Huehuetenango is from beans grown at the highest altitude in Guatemala.
The espresso once ground produces a thick and even crema on the espresso shot. The crema lasts for the duration of the drinking experience, and blends well when the shot is blended with milk to create the array of espresso blended milky coffees. It is best described as replete, and generously covers the entire surface of the shot.
The aroma of this espresso blend is magnificent. The aroma is pronounced even at the grinding stage, however it is when the shot is being made, and of course consumed that the armoa comes into its own. It is thick and sends a signal of anticipation down the brain stem and causes a physical reaction in the saliva glands, and a need for the espresso hit to come thick and fast! Huehuetenango certainly delivers on the taste front too. This is an ideal morning and afternoon coffee, however it might be a bit risky to try at night for those who find that espresso at night can interfere with their sleep. However, for those that find this effect to be all talk, you can enjoy this espresso at any time and as often as your wallet will allow.
The espresso shot once sampled, has a clean crisp taste, with a rich and full aftertaste that is very stimulating on the palate. The creama also enhances the taste with its silky smooth texture and caramel colouring introducing a similar taste sensation to the palate. This is a magnificent espresso and it always leaves one hungry for more, but satisfied with what you have in hand. There are hints of chocolate in the flavour of the coffee, and it is best described as medium bodied with an intense flavour.
The Espresso Idiot's view of this coffee is that this is a true gourmet espresso available to the antipodean espresso aficionado. This is a great espresso to sample to see what the more expensive, but not outrageously so, coffees on the market have to offer. You will not be dissappointed and it is well worth the effort it may take to secure some. As a footnote, the Mayan Coffee web site provides mail order facilities for the delivery of coffee as well as some interesting drinking chocolate. The Espresso Idiot has not sampled (at the time of writing) any of the other products, buy check back as the other espresso coffees available from these traders will be sampled.