Guatemala El Panal

In 1958, Jorge Vides, the grandfather of the family, founded Finca La Bolsa. He purchased a piece of land covered in untouched forest and began cultivating Bourbon and Caturra coffee varieties. With vision, purpose, and passion, he embarked on a journey that would transform not only this land but the future of Guatemalan coffee.

In the highlands of Guatemala, where coffee trees flourish under the shade of native forests, our farmers have crafted a coffee that reflects the sweetness of nature itself. We call it El Panal “The Honeycomb” a name that honors the harmony between coffee, bees, and the land.

Just as a honeycomb gathers drops of nectar to create something extraordinary, El Panal brings together the richness of our volcanic soils, the dedication of our farmers, and the slow, natural drying process that preserves every layer of flavor.

The coffees are picked manually and left for 36 hours for pre fermentation in the picked bags. Next, the coffee is delivered to the wet mill, where it is picked and sorted. Then the coffee will pass to the correteo, where the fruit is sorted by quality, and then moved to the patio for drying. The coffee will dry for 16 days, the first 8 days the coffee is moved 4 times every 2 hours, then twice daily the final 8 days.

Guatemala El Panal, sourced from Finca La Bolsa, represents a classic expression of the Bourbon varietal grown within the diverse landscapes of Guatemala. This specific lot is prepared using the natural process, a method where the coffee cherry is dried intact around the seed. Generally, natural-processed coffees tend to exhibit heavier fruit-forward profiles and increased sweetness compared to their washed counterparts, as the bean absorbs sugars from the drying fruit.

Roasted by Metric Coffee Co., this selection highlights the intersection of traditional cultivation and careful post-harvest handling. When evaluating the nuances of this cup, drinkers may find it helpful to reference the flavor wheel to identify the specific fruit and sugar-browning characteristics that often emerge from this combination of origin and processing. By focusing on the inherent qualities of the Bourbon plant, this coffee offers a clear look at how regional terroir and drying techniques shape the final profile.