San José - Nicaragua {Caturra - Carbonic Maceration}

Technical Sheet:
Roaster: KB Coffee Roasters
Origin: Las Manos, Dipilto, Nicaragua
Producer: Eudoro Guillén
Farm: San José
Varietal: Caturra
Process: Natural · Semi-carbonic Maceration
Altitude: 1,300–1,700 masl
Project: Bridazul
Profile: Cherries · Praline · Plums · Milk Chocolate · Rum
Size: 250 g
Roast: Light (Filter)
Best for: Filter
Why we like it: A very different expression of Nicaraguan Caturra, where semi-carbonic maceration provides fruit intensity, sweetness, and depth without losing the variety's identity.
Who should buy it: Ideal for those who enjoy expressive and sweet naturals, with ripe red fruit, chocolate, and a slightly boozy profile, but are looking for a light-roasted coffee designed for filter.

Finca San José is located in Las Manos, in the Dipilto region of Nicaragua, very close to the border with Honduras. Here, Eudoro Guillén represents the second generation of a family dedicated to coffee cultivation for over half a century.

His father, Don Eudoro, acquired the El Recuerdo and San José farms in 1965, planting them exclusively with Caturra. After his passing, his wife, Doña Silvia, and his son Eudoro took over the management of both farms, maintaining the original variety and preserving the family legacy while introducing new techniques to improve quality and the cup profile.

In recent years, Eudoro, together with his wife Norma Flores and with the support of the Bridazul project, began experimenting with more precise fermentation methods, especially semi-carbonic maceration. This work yielded exceptional results: in 2021, both of his farms were recognized in the Nicaragua Cup of Excellence with Caturra lots.

The conservation of the farm's vegetation and responsible agriculture form an essential part of Eudoro's philosophy. For this reason, San José also plays an important role within Bridazul, a comprehensive project founded in 2019 by Claudia Lovo that works with approximately 50 small and medium-sized producers in the Nueva Segovia region.

Bridazul seeks to create a more direct and sustainable relationship between producers and consumers, combining quality, economic viability, environmental responsibility, and social impact. In addition to processing coffees in their own dry mill, the project offers agronomic advice, training, support in the commercialization of green coffee, and remuneration that seeks to cover real production costs and ensure a margin for the producers.

Claudia Lovo, a Nicaraguan native and owner of Finca El Árbol, together with Sasa Sestic, was one of the pioneers of the first lots in the area processed via carbonic and semi-carbonic maceration. Over time, they began sharing facilities, knowledge, and techniques with neighboring producers, allowing them to develop more complex profiles and access new markets.

This San José lot utilizes semi-carbonic maceration, a technique inspired by the wine world and adapted to coffee to enhance fruit character, sweetness, body, and complexity.

The cherries are placed in airtight barrels located in a temperature-controlled room. Maintaining cool temperatures helps limit the uncontrolled development of certain bacteria and allows for fermentation to be managed with greater precision.

Subsequently, CO₂ is introduced into the barrels, favoring a fermentation that begins inside the fruit itself. This process, known as "inside-out" fermentation, differs from methods where fermentation begins from the outside using yeasts or other added elements.

Fermentation continues for several days until the desired aromatic profile is reached. Afterward, the cherries are removed from the barrels and spread on African beds, where they are dried in relatively thick layers to further enhance the sweetness.

The result is an intense and luscious expression of Nicaraguan Caturra: cherry and ripe plum combine with notes of praline and milk chocolate, finishing with a deep, slightly liqueur-like sensation reminiscent of rum.

KB Coffee Roasters is a Parisian roastery obsessed with one thing: flavor.
Their philosophy is simple yet radical—they select coffees solely based on how they taste, not on trends, marketing, or history. Each batch undergoes blind cuppings, and they only choose what truly excites them to drink every day.
Their approach is deliberately "selfish": they roast the coffee they love. This honesty defines their identity—they don't try to please everyone, but rather to create something truly special.
Behind every coffee is rigorous work with producers and long-term partners, carefully overseeing the entire process from origin to cup.
👉 The result: authentic, precise coffees crafted with a genuine obsession for quality.