Pacas Coffee Beans

Guatemala has numerous volcanoes, and perhaps because of this, their coffee always carries a unique and high-quality smoky flavor. At the same time, Guatemala has put considerable effort into specialty coffee, and some estates grow rare coffee varieties. The Little Blueberry Estate in the Nuevo Oriente region grows the Pacas variety.

Pacas (Pache) is a Guatemalan Typica variant discovered at Finca El Brito. It comes in two distinct forms: Pache Comum and Pache Colis. Both thrive well and grow best at altitudes between 3,500 and 6,500 feet. This natural mutation of the Typica variety is linked to a single gene that causes the plant to become smaller (dwarfed), allowing for denser planting and higher yields.

The Pacas (Pache) variety was discovered in 1949 at the Brito farm in Santa Cruz Naranjo, Guatemala. From there, it was selected through quality selection—meaning a group of individuals was chosen based on their superior performance. Seeds from these plants were propagated to form the next generation, and the process was repeated. Generally, this particular variety was primarily cultivated on private farms in Guatemala before spreading to other regions and countries.

Flavor: When ground, it emits a rich aroma of nuts, spices, and some subtle fermented berry notes. When hot, it tastes well-balanced with hints of fermented fruit and genmai-cha-like flavors, along with notes of nuts and almonds. As it cools down, it reveals citrus, berry, and ripe fruit acidity with sweet undertones, and a long-lasting sugarcane sweetness. Overall, it’s quite sweet and well-balanced.