Guatemala: El Limon, Pacamara, Natural

A balanced and comforting cup which starts with caramel before being joined by the gentle fruitiness of raspberry jam and plum, finishing with just a hint of vanilla.

Tucked into the rolling hills of Palencia, just a short drive east of Guatemala City, lies San Patricio El Limón – a coffee farm that's as much about family and community as it is about exceptional coffee. Owned and operated since the late 1990s by Guadalupe "Beto" Reyes and his family, this farm is a shining example of what happens when passion, innovation, and collaboration come together.

Beto's approach to coffee is rooted in care and curiosity. A desire to experiment is one of the big reasons that we love buying from San Patricio El Limón – we've been getting coffee from them since first introduced years ago by our mutual friend Raul Rodas (2012 World Barista Champion), and they're just getting more awesome each year. Over time El Limón has become one of our favourite relationships, and back in 2013, they were the first producers that we ever bought from directly in Guatemala.

One of Beto's long-held goals has been to hand the farm on to the next generation, and that's very much becoming a reality. His wife Marilyn has always been a cornerstone of the operation, and their children – Eliana, Betio, Saul, and Ruth – have gradually taken on bigger and bigger roles. Today, the farm is truly a family affair. Each of them specialises in a different part of the business, but decisions are made collaboratively, and they each bring their own experience, education, and personality to the table. It makes for a really dynamic team, and you can feel it when you visit.

It's worth noting that running San Patricio is just one part of Beto's world. He's also the Mayor of Palencia and has several other business interests on the go – honestly, we have no idea how he finds enough hours in the day, what a guy. But the fact that the family now share the load means the farm is in great hands, with real depth of knowledge and genuine passion at every level.

El Limón is eighteen hectares in size and sits at an altitude between 1,350 to 1,850 metres above sea level. The farm mainly produces Caturra and Bourbon but has also started growing SL28, H1, H3, Maracaturra, Maragogype, Geisha, Pacamaras, Caturras and Catuaí (yellow and red). Around eight water reservoirs have been built around the estate to preserve this vital resource and help ensure the sustainability of the farm. Over the years, the family have invested heavily in infrastructure: rebuilding the wet mill, adding a QC lab, constructing a new warehouse, and even building accommodations for workers. Beto doesn't want to stand still and is continuing to invest in the farm. Whenever we visit, all questions are dispatched with exactly the right answer and every suggestion is listened to and taken on board.

The dedication and care devoted to each step of production is reflected in the fact that the family operates their own wet mill, so they can separate different lots and maintain control over quality. They have capacity to process many lots simultaneously and keep separate days' pickings, processes, and varietals in their own parcels. The wet mill also benefits the local community, as neighbours within the region of Palencia bring their coffees here to be processed too.

Palencia isn't one of Guatemala's eight officially recognised coffee-growing regions, and names like Antigua, Huehuetenango, and Cobán tend to dominate the conversation – but Palencia is quietly carving out its own identity. This is thanks in large part to the work of the Reyes family. With its high altitudes, volcanic soil, and temperate climate, Palencia has all the natural ingredients for producing exceptional coffee. What it lacks in historical recognition, it more than makes up for in innovation and community spirit. That quality is getting noticed, too – in the 2025 Flores del Café competition, organised by Anacafé and IWCA Guatemala to celebrate the work of women coffee producers, a naturally processed Pacamara from El Limón (this coffee)! took 2nd place in the Natural category with a score of 88.25. Not a bad result for a region most people haven't heard of yet.

• Country: Guatemala
• Region: Palencia
• Farm: San Patricio El Limon
• Producers: The Reyes Family
• Altitude: 1,350-1,850 m.a.s.l.
• Farm size: 9 hectares
• Varietal: Pacamara
• Processing method: Natural

Medium

Through first crack and let this develop in the gap before finishing just on the first pops of second, no further.

Tasting Notes: Caramel, raspberry jam, plum.

Cup of Excellence Cupping Scores

• Clean cup: 6/8
• Sweetness: 6.5/8
• Acidity: 6/8
• Mouthfeel: 6.5/8
• Flavour: 6/8
• Aftertaste: 6.5/8
• Balance: 6.5/8
• Overall: 6/8
• Correction: +36
• Total: 86/100

If you would like to find out more about how we score coffees, make sure to read our blog post "What Do Coffee Cuppings Scores Actually Mean?" by clicking here.