Stumptown first purchased Guatemala Finca El Injerto Bourbon in 2003. Produced by what would go on to become one of the most award-winning farms in the world, this coffee quickly amassed a dedicated fan base that keeps on growing. In fact, El Injerto Bourbon is so beloved, it's always on our single origin menu.
El Injerto Bourbon consistently delights curious customers who have never tried single origin coffee. At the same time, its depth and complexity make it a firm favorite among seasoned coffee connoisseurs. Displaying orange, caramel, and milk chocolate notes, this Guatemalan coffee's approachable nature makes it an ideal starting point for first-time Stumptown drinkers. Furthermore, El Injerto's inherent sweetness strongly informs Stumptown's signature approach to coffees: sweet, clean and balanced.
We like to think of El Injerto Bourbon as an ambassador to usher in any coffee drinker who might feel intimidated by single origin coffee. El Injerto Bourbon embodies the welcome we want folks to experience each time they walk into one of our cafes or open a bag of beans at home. It's this idea that keeps Guatemala Finca El Injerto Bourbon on Stumptown's menu year round.
As we celebrate the arrival of this year’s crop, we’d like to share some updates from Arturo Aguirre Jr., whose family has owned and managed Finca El Injerto for five generations.
Background on Finca El Injerto
Sitting like a gem in northern Guatemala’s Huehuetenango region, Finca El Injerto has been in the Aguirre family since the 1800’s. The farm's high elevation and combination of volcanic and non-volcanic soil make it a “Goldilocks zone” for cultivating specialty coffee.
Bourbon is one of the varieties of coffee grown on Finca El Injerto. Witnessing the specialty coffee market's rapid growth during the 1990s, the Aguirres began diversifying their operation, prioritizing quality over yield. Over the years, they've added other boutique varieties, such as Pacamara, SL-28, and Gesha. Their adaptations and harvests yielded coffee of exquisite quality, and the world took notice.
Between 2006 and 2026, El Injerto won the prestigious Cup of Excellence competition 10 times. In the years it didn't win, it consistently placed in the top five. After all this success and subsequent demand, the Aguirres began operating their own annual online auction, opening up direct access to international buyers. These auction coffees – micro-lots that vary in variety and processing – have become globally renowned. The rapid, high bidding underscores just how sought-after they are.
In 2008, El Injerto expanded its presence in Guatemala’s specialty coffee scene by launching a roastery and cafe. Arturo Jr. had a clear vision of his hopes for El Injerto’s retail operation: “After visiting Stumptown and some of our customers in Japan, I said, ‘Why don’t we have anything like this in Guatemala?’ We have great coffee here, and most Guatemalans don’t know about it because it all ships out.”
Today, El Injerto has four cafes, an e-commerce business, and a thriving wholesale business serving local cafes and restaurants. El Injerto's cafes offer multiple brewing options for the farm's many offerings.
As Arturo Jr. Puts it, “That’s important for us, to keep increasing the culture. I wanted to educate our customers by offering different varieties, different processes, and different extraction methods. Before it was just coffee. Now, they know if they want a Pacamara, or if they want a Bourbon, or if they want a natural, or a V60, or a Chemex. So people are really starting to get into coffee, much more than before, and they’re willing to pay more.”
Responding to Change Through Innovation
During a time of significant economic and climatic changes around the world, coffee-producing countries face compounding challenges on multiple fronts. Guatemala is no exception, and the Aguirre family has adapted with both innovation and careful land stewardship.
Finca El Injerto is a stunning coffee farm. Surrounded by forested mountains, it's nestled deep in a world seemingly all its own. The highest elevations are home to a native forest reserve, protected by the Aguirre family. Inga and gravileas trees stand like guardians over the coffee plants, providing a natural canopy that regulates sunlight and wind. As these trees grow taller, airflow increases, the flowers attract more bees, and the pollinator reciprocity leads to increased coffee flowering. Bees, flowers, shade trees, and coffee trees thrive together in this special ecosystem.
Tending and harvesting a large, diverse farm like El Injerto requires a skilled workforce. Spanning 750 hectares (over 1,800 acres), El Injerto lies at elevations ranging from 1,500 to 1,920 meters above sea level. To ensure optimal quality, workers must harvest selectively, picking only the ripest cherries while leaving others to continue maturing. Labor is deployed strategically for both harvesting and plant maintenance, such as pruning and fertilization.
Pruning of the coffee plant at the end of the harvest is a crucial step so it can recuperate over the rainy season. If dead tissues and branches are not removed from the coffee plant, it will hinder sprouting for the next season, reducing productivity and longevity. The pruning begins as soon as the picking is complete, ensuring the plants can rejuvenate for the next year.
In the spirit of his father’s experimentation, Arturo Jr. is exploring drip irrigation techniques to address droughts and the adverse effects of climate change. Drip irrigation slowly and efficiently delivers water directly to a plant's root zone through tubing that lays close to the soil. The slow drip process maximizes delivery while reducing water waste. This method can also be used for precise distribution of fertilizer and nutrients, creating a sort of “vitamin water” for the coffee trees.
Consistent, measured use of drip irrigation allows farmers to give coffee plants the perfect balance of dry spells and precise watering. A strategic dry period triggers all the plants to flower simultaneously. Once the water is turned back on, it helps the coffee cherries to grow plump and nutrient-rich. Research from Guatemala’s National Coffee Association, Anacafe, shows that these smart watering setups can maximize a farm's output, with the potential to even double productivity under the right conditions.
While drip irrigation can’t be used with older, existing trees, Arturo Jr. has set aside one hectare to experiment with younger coffee plants, allowing them to adapt to the drip irrigation method. He's cautiously optimistic, but if there are positive results in yield and quality, he hopes to deploy drip irrigation in other areas of Finca El Injerto.
Recently, labor shortages in Huehuetenango have spurred changes at Finca El Injerto. Arturo Jr. takes a pragmatic approach: “The lack of labor keeps us moving and trying to think of how to continue producing great coffee with fewer people each year.”
The farm added roads to help staff move around more easily. This allows pickers to focus on one coffee variety at a time in smaller areas. Furthermore, as workers replace old sections of the plantation, they’re spacing new rows of trees farther apart. This increases airflow and sunlight, while making the trees easier to reach.
All of these adaptations, investments, and experiments aim to ensure a thriving future for Finca El Injerto. Arturo Jr. has watched while neighboring farms have dissolved or been sold off in pieces. He's noticed that many larger farms in the area have been split into smaller farms, which are becoming ever more prevalent in the region.
Looking forward, Arturo Jr. recognizes that the challenges of farming may not appeal to younger generations: “It has been difficult for this new generation. They want to get into coffee, but in the 'cool' areas of cafes or roasting. No one wants to come out to the farm.” He goes on to explain that El Injerto aims to make the farm more attractive to young folks by investing in technology, modern comforts, and improved access. In Arturo Jr.'s words, “Once you get here, you don’t want to go back.”
Guatemala Finca El Injerto Bourbon 2026
Finca El Injerto Bourbon is both a staple of Stumptown’s menu and a reminder of coffee’s dynamic nature: each year we taste familiar flavors, reminding us of the diligent work involved in cultivating, processing, and delivering this coffee. We also notice subtle changes in the coffee’s profile, demonstrating how El Injerto lives and thrives in its forested sanctuary amidst the mountains of Huehuetenango.
Whether you drink El Injerto Bourbon daily or haven't tried it in a while, we invite you to enjoy this special Guatemalan coffee.
