In this article, you’ll learn:
- The history behind Black Mountain Cold Brew Coffee
- Why Black Mountain chose Hardtank equipment to produce cold brew
- How the Baby Hardtank has helped Black Mountain increase its efficiency and scale up
Based in Guatemala, Black Mountain Cold Brew Coffee is one of the country’s most prolific cold brew businesses. Founded by Juan Pablo Herrera in 2019, it previously focused on selling RTD drinks but has since expanded into a successful roastery in its own right.
Since 2025, Black Mountain has started using the Baby Hardtank to produce large quantities of high-quality cold brew. Not only has this vastly improved their operational efficiency, but it’s also created a blueprint for scaling further in the future.
We spoke to Juan Pablo, the founder of Black Mountain Cold Brew Coffee, to learn how Hardtank has helped out at the roastery. Read on to learn more.
Black Mountain Cold Brew Coffee: Uplifting Guatemalan coffee from origin to cup
Even before sourcing Hardtank equipment, quality and consistency were the core of Juan Pablo’s values. He started Black Mountain after many years in the industry. At first, it began by visiting a coffee farm run by a friend of his. He learned first-hand about the work that goes into growing and processing coffee, which inspired him to become a barista.
Even more than espresso-based drinks, Juan Pablo was particularly drawn to cold brew. “It takes a while for the taste of cold brew to reach my palate, and I love it,” he says. “From that moment on, I had an idea and a dream – to make the best cold brew coffee for others.”
Working with his partner Berenise, they established a cold brew brand that was accessible and welcoming to new consumers. “We want to surprise and delight in the fact that many people can fall in love with this beverage, which offers a wide range of recipes,” he says.
To stand out from other Guatemalan roasters, Black Mountain Cold Brew Coffee sources coffee close to home. “We work with Finca San Patricio El Limón, in Palencia, just a few kilometres from Guatemala City,” Juan Pablo says.
“The Guadalupe Reyes family has maintained excellent coffee quality, so we decided to share that with our cold brew coffee,” he adds. “These include their Pacamara, Caturra, and Bourbon varieties, as well as different processes such as natural drying and washing.”
While high-quality cold brew is the main priority, sustainability matters to Black Mountain as well. “We want to carry out our actions in a more friendly and respectful way for the Earth,” Juan Pablo says. Its practices range from plastic-free packaging, focusing on glass bottles with metal caps, and GreenGuard-certified labels that are low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Why Black Mountain chose Hardtank to scale cold brew production
To align with its wider ambitions and values, Black Mountain Cold Brew Coffee started working with Hardtank in 2025. While it was already producing cold brew and bottling it for sale in the years before, it has opened a new range of opportunities for the business to grow
“The key benefits I have found are mostly in brewing time, quality, and cleanliness, which are some really important subjects for me,” he says.
Mostly, using Hardtank equipment helps Juan Pablo and the Black Mountain team to stay on top of rising consumer demand. After all, the cold brew coffee market was valued at USD $3.16 billion in 2024, and is growing by a staggering rate of 22.7% each year.
As consumer demand and potential revenue increase, Hardtank equipment helps Black Mountain to match these requirements. The Baby Hardtank machine, which Juan Pablo uses for the business, is capable of producing up to four litres of cold brew in less than an hour. This scales up to 300 portions of cold brew a day.
Compared to manual production methods, which can take as long as 24 hours for one batch, Hardtank machines are much faster. “The efficiency and cost/time savings are amazing,” Juan Pablo tells me. “I was producing 100 bottles every two days, and it was a lot of work.
Now, I’m producing the same 100 bottles in only six hours, with the same ratio and without as much work. It has helped me a lot because as we’re scaling the business, we needed more efficiency.”
Hardtank equipment speeds up cold brew production with its patented recirculation technology. Water is constantly pushed through the extraction basket, which increases the rate of extraction as the coffee grounds interact with the water more efficiently. It makes cold brew production much faster without impacting the strength of flavour or caffeine content.
It’s this consistent quality and time-saving production that made the Baby Hardtank so appealing to Black Mountain. “We chose Hardtank products because of the really good progress and development they’ve made,” Juan Pablo explains. “I’ve been producing cold brew since 2018, and have been following Hardtank for some years. The quality they can reach is what got us.”
The importance of cleanliness and hygiene to Black Mountain Cold Brew Coffee
While faster production times have been central to Black Mountain’s choice of Hardtank equipment, hygiene concerns are just as important. After all, the lower steeping temperature makes cold brew susceptible to microbial activity.
In a study conducted by Hard Beans, it was found that microbes like Escherichia coli (E coli) and Penicillium crustosum can grow in poorly stored cold brew. They can cause tremors, vomiting, and nausea, which isn’t only bad for your consumers, but may also breach local food safety regulations.
Therefore, cold brew equipment needs to directly address hygiene concerns. With its automated cleaning programs and food-grade stainless steel materials, Hardtank equipment meets these needs.
“One characteristic I really love is the cleaning and sanitation subject,” Juan Pablo says. “It’s not only good for the equipment, but for us to produce reliable cold brew coffee for our customers. Mixing that with the high brewing quality we get from it, it’s very successful.”
Juan Pablo’s experience with Hardtank at Black Mountain Cold Brew Coffee is proof of the need for high-quality equipment. Not only is it important for speeding up production and scaling up fast, but it also ensures compliant, hygienic drinks every time.
Using Hardtank, Black Mountain is primed to expand the Guatemalan coffee scene even further with its quality-focused approach to cold brew. To learn more about how Hardtank equipment can help your business scale up, visit our website or contact the team for a quote.
FAQ
Why did Black Mountain Cold Brew Coffee choose Hardtank equipment?
Juan Pablo and Black Mountain chose Hardtank to speed up its cold brew efficiency. For example, it has now gone from 100 bottles every two days to 100 bottles in six hours, due to the shorter brewing time of the Baby Hardtank.
How has Hardtank equipment helped in Black Mountain’s roastery?
As well as its time-saving benefits and faster preparation times, Hardtank machinery has helped maintain hygiene standards. It has self-cleaning programmes to remove concerns of improper cleaning through human error.
How can I learn more about Hardtank equipment?
You can visit the official Hardtank website or contact the team to get a quote or learn about the full range of cold brew equipment.
Can the Baby Hardtank be used for other drinks?
Yes – in addition to cold brew coffee, the Baby Hardtank can also be used to brew iced teas, cascara infusions, and more, depending on your menu needs.
