Katia is one of the progressive new generations of coffee farmers, located in Honduras, her San Isidro farm has been in the family for generations.

After growing up on the farm, Katia studied agronomy at a prestigious San Morano agronomic university in Honduras.

When a leaf rust epidemic destroyed most of their crop in 2012, it re-focused Katia to do things differently, and really dive into the specialty coffee world – becoming a certified roaster and barista.

While it took conversations with her father, he eventually gave Katia her own plots to farm. Five years later she’s producing excellent coffee by focusing on separating lots by variety and plot, she has pushed the quality potential to develop differentiated micro-lots offering unique characters.

Katia’s hard work in the coffee world was matched by her work in the local community where she was instrumental in building a new school, and developing a nutritional program.

We’re proud to roast Katia’s San Isidro, Honduras beans, and offer beans with such a rich story behind them.

Microorganism Processing Experimentation at Finca San Isidro

We reached out to producer Katia Duke to gain some helpful insight on the Microorganism Process, what it is and how it was accomplished. Katia sent along her write up explaining their experimentation with processing in particular to the Microorganism process.

One of the fascinating things about coffee is how versatile it turns out to be, it allows us to experiment from an early stage on the farm to the different options served by a cup and that is why during the last years at Finca San Isidro we have focused special interest on it. development of new processes with which we intend to develop exotic and unique profiles, in order to enhance the coffee experience of our customers.

Microorganism fermentation, also known as anaerobic fermentation, is a process used to break down the pulp and mucilage of the coffee cherry after harvesting. The fermentation process can be done using various microorganisms, such as yeast or bacteria, and can last anywhere from a few hours to several days. The specific conditions and duration of the fermentation process can affect the final flavour and quality of the coffee.

This process serves several purposes:

• Removes pulp and mucilage: The microorganisms break down the pulp and mucilage, making it easier to dry the coffee beans.
• Enhances flavour and aroma: The fermentation process can contribute to the development of unique flavor and aroma compounds in the coffee.
• Reduces drying time: By breaking down the pulp and mucilage, the coffee beans dry faster, which can help prevent mold and other defects.

Brewing Recipes

French Press

35g of course ground coffee

500ml of 200F water

Steep for 4 minutes

Hario V60

18g of medium ground coffee (#5 on Baratza Vario)

300ml of 200F water.

Prime filter with water ensuring it is completely damp.

Pour grounds in. Pour 65ml of water ensuring grounds are completely saturated. Let bloom for 15 seconds

Pour remaining 235ml of water over grounds starting from the center then circling slowly outward.

Give grounds a quick stir ensuring grounds do not stick to the sides of the filter during the draining process.

Aeropress

17g of medium ground coffee (#5 on Baratza Vario)

265ml of 200F water

Prime filter then add grounds.

Saturate grounds with 65ml of water and let bloom for 15-20 seconds

Slowly pour remaining 200ml of water over grounds.

Steep for 1 minute before plunging.