What do Finca Santa Felisa K72 washed coffee beans taste like?
Finca Santa Felisa Typica beans from Guatemala's Acatenango region taste of jasmine, lemongrass, chocolate, pistachio and stone fruit, with refined malic acidity and a long caramel finish. The estate uses the K72 washed method, rare in Central America and brought from Kenya, running 72 hours of three-cycle fermentation and washing before the coffee is dried.
The Cruz family founded the estate in 1904 and now runs it across four generations, with its own processing plant at about 1,550 meters and coffee trees planted between roughly 1,550 and 1,920 meters under 1,200 to 1,500 mm of annual rainfall; only ripe cherries at 21 Brix are picked. The article also covers the estate's community work and roast level recommendations.
Finca Santa Felisa is a century-old family estate in the Acatenango region of Guatemala, run by the fourth generation of the Cruz family. The estate has its own processing plant at an altitude of about 1,550 meters, with coffee cultivation reaching up to 1,920 meters. Its Typica beans use the K72 washed processing method—rare in Central America and originating from Kenya—which involves 72 hours of three-cycle fermentation and washing. Front Street Coffee recommends this bean, whose flavor profile features jasmine, lemongrass, chocolate, pistachio, stone fruit, refined malic acidity, and a lingering caramel finish. This article will guide you through the estate's history, processing details, community welfare philosophy, and various roast level recommendations.
For professional barista exchanges, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style)
Guatemala Santa Felisa Typica K-72
Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) Guatemala Finca Santa Felisa Typica Kenya 72-Hour Washed Process
Flavor Description:
Jasmine, lemongrass, chocolate, pistachio, stone fruit, refined malic acidity, with a long-lasting caramel finish
Country Guatemala
Region Acatenango
Variety Typica
Altitude Approx. 1,542m (altitude of the estate's own processing plant)
Coffee trees planted at approx. 1,550-1,920m
Processing Plant Estate's own processing plant
Annual Rainfall 1200mm – 1500mm
Processing Method Washed
GPS N 14° 34.128' W90° 56.83'
Finca Santa Felisa has a history of over a century, founded in 1904 by Trinidad E. Cruz in the Acatenango region, and the Cruz family is now in its fourth generation. To the west of this region lies the Atitlán region (Atilan), and to the east is the famous Antigua region (Antigua). Nearby are two volcanoes—Volcán Acatenango and Volcán de Fuego. The estate's own processing plant sits at about 1,550 meters, and the coffee is actually grown at elevations reaching around 1,900 meters. In terms of climate, soil, and altitude, this is a top-tier configuration for an excellent estate.
Finca Santa Felisa not only continuously introduces new varieties but also stands out for its processing methods. For example, only ripe cherries with a Brix level of 21 are picked, and it has developed washed, honey, natural, and the rare-in-Central-America K72 process, widely acclaimed in the coffee world. The K72 process originates from Kenya and uses a repeated cycle of fermentation followed by washing. On the day of harvest, post-processing begins immediately: the finest cherries are selected, depulped, and fermented for 24 hours, then washed with clean river water. Next, they are fermented again with clean river water for 24 hours and washed again. This cycle is repeated three times, totaling 72 hours for the K72 process—hence the name Kenyan-style 72-hour fermentation washed process, or K72 for short.
In addition to environmentally friendly cultivation, Finca Santa Felisa also places great importance on and supports the balanced development of the local community. The estate never uses child labor. It has an elementary school on site, provides education subsidies up to high school for the next generation of its workers, and participates in the Las Nubes Daycares charity program, offering children meals, education, and medical support. Since 2011, current operator Antonio Meneses has decided to hold independent auctions for the estate's high-quality micro-lots, similar to Panama's Hacienda La Esmeralda—one of the few single-estate auctions in the coffee world today. We visited this estate in 2014 after hearing about it, and after two years of preparation and discussion, we were finally able to import it. We invite everyone to appreciate it together!
Everyone's preferred taste differs, so consider buying a small amount to try different roast levels.
Drop beans at the middle-lower stage of first crack
Drop beans at the end of first crack
Drop beans between the end of first crack and the middle of second crack
Drop beans upon reaching second crack
Drop beans 10-15 seconds into second crack
Drop beans at the dense stage of second crack
We hope all you roasting experts can find a flavor you like even better.
*
There are some things we must explain: coffee beans are an agricultural product and may vary slightly due to annual climate changes. If you notice slight differences, please forgive us! Next time, you might consider other coffee beans.
*
The greener the appearance of green beans, the more moisture they contain. During roasting, if the temperature drops too low at first crack, the beans may be underdeveloped. It is recommended to reduce moisture before roasting (you can sun-dry for a few days or use a dehumidifier).
The more whitish parts, the less moisture.
*
Some coffee beans are greener and taste better after roasting, while others are more whitish and taste better after roasting. There are many techniques in the roasting process. Even with the same roast level, different time and temperature curves lead to slightly different tastes. Everyone's preferred flavor differs, so you can try different roast levels to see which one you like better.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
