SongBird Guatemalan
SongBird Guatemalan
Lightly roasted to express the unique characteristics of this exceptional coffee: juicy ripe cherry sweetness, cacao nibs, and sugary molasses. The coffee is shade-grown on steep volcanic slopes of the Northwestern Highlands of Guatemala by Maya K'iche' coffee farmers. It is a gift from craft-inspired farmers whose ancestors have lived in these lush mountain forests for millennia.
These are premium coffee beans - certified Bird Friendly by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center as grown in the shade for the richest flavor, certified organic, certified GMO-free, and promoting naturally healthy soil. This is the hardest certification to get because it is traced from the farms through the roasting and packaging. You reap the rewards in your cup!
Each package sold benefits the American Birding Association's programs. By drinking shade-grown and bird friendly certified coffee every morning, you are supporting these coffee farmers, the efforts of the ABA, and the countless birds they are protecting through community outreach and conservation. Learn more.
Since 1998 we have raised $289428.32 and counting…
Customer Review
United StatesSweetly singing
Loved this coffee. I love the balanced yet robust flavor. While all the causes are worthwhile, I’m partial to songbirds. Thank you for this coffee.
Not a fan of this Guatemalan light roast
I purchased a bag of Thanksgiving Coffee's "SongBird Guatemalan, Light Roast" directly from thanksgivingcoffee.com/. I've been buying other roasters' bags of medium roast and French roast beans with Smithsonian Bird Friendly and Fair Trade certifications and had hoped to find a source of light roast beans as an additional option from which to choose. Sadly, I didn't care for this coffee. I found it to have less flavor than my other go-to coffees, although this could be at least partially attributed to the light roast. More significantly, some subtle off-flavors and aromas almost caused me to throw out the bag. The coffee wasn't undrinkable, but there didn't seem to be any reason to consume it when better alternatives were in my cupboard. I eventually blended these beans in various ratios with one (or even two) of my other coffees to get my money's worth from the pricey 12-ounce bag. To varying degrees, all the blends masked the flavors and aromas I didn't like. Even so, the resultant coffee was not as good as it would have been without adding this one. I had hoped this light roast coffee would make a nice addition to my other options. Unfortunately, that was not the case.
Great coffee, Guilt-free
Tasty coffee and I love that it has the highest ethical certifications. Won't go back to desperately searching for shade-grown or even Rainforest Alliance coffee at the grocery stores.
A Favorite
I experiment with others, but this is one that I always revisit. It's very bright with a distinct flavor that isn't at all 'jammy' .
Coffee to Water Ratio
Using the correct amount of coffee will ensure that your coffee is brewed to strength, without over-extracting or under-extracting the coffee to compensate for an inappropriate dose. We recommend 2 grams of coffee for every fluid ounce of water used to brew. Weighing coffee is the most accurate way to measure the appropriate dose. If a scale is not available, we recommend 2 heaping tablespoons of ground coffee for every 5 ounces of water used to brew.
Grind Size
Producing the correct particle size in ground coffee is one of the most important steps in coffee brewing. In general, a finer grind will produce a more intense brew and a coarser grind will produce a less intense brew. At the same time, a grind that is too fine will produce an over-extracted, astringent brew, and a grind that is too coarse will produce a weak, under-extracted brew lacking flavor. In pour-over methods, grind size also affects the rate of extraction, as water will pass more slowly through a finer grind, and more quickly through a coarser grind. We strongly recommend burr grinders over blade grinders.
Water Temperature and Quality
Water temperature dramatically affects the extraction of coffee’s flavor during brewing. We recommend brewing with water at 200-202° Fahrenheit for best results. Using fresh, clean, chlorine-free water is essential.
Coffee 101
Discover how to make the most in your cup with our brew blog - Coffee 101. Brewing variations, roast colors, coffee storage, steaming, and so much more. Not just for beginners, this info has gems for all coffee enthusiasts from novice to barista and beyond.
"Tasty coffee and I love that it has the highest ethical certifications. Won't go back to desperately searching for shade-grown or even Rainforest Alliance coffee at the grocery stores."
