Jairo Arcila Santa Monica (Strawberry)

Jairo Arcila Santa Monica Armenia Quindío Colombia, Arabica Pink Bourbon, Honey, Strawberry Maceration with Wine Yeast, 2024

Strawberry | Nougat | Cacao Nibs | Caramel | Roses 

Created by Jairo Arcila first in Santa Monica and then in Finca Villarazo, both farms are seated on fertile volcanic land along the scenic and winding Buenvista road in Armenia, Quindio. Jairo Arcila uses different arabica varieties for this coffee, usually switching between Castillo and Pink Bourbon. We have featured different versions of this coffee from both farms.

Once the coffee are harvested, they are transported to La Pradera wet mill for processing. This coffee will be exposed to a dry anaerobic fermentation period of 72 hours in a large bag with the pulp on. During this fermentation stage, strawberry and wine yeast are added, in a method known as fruit maceration or co-fermentation. During COVID, such coffees are known to be experimental. Today, the technique has largely matured and farms are exploring a variety of fruits and flowers, alongside other catalysts beside wine yeasts, e.g. koji and tempeh yeasts. At Cofinet, fruit maceration is done only with wine yeast, for about three days. After that, cherries are pulped and then left to dry on raised beds with strawberries placed amongst the coffee until the ideal moisture content is achieved. The result is an outstanding perfumy flavour profile dominated by strawberry and nougats with balanced notes of cacao, caramel and lingering roses in the afterflavour.

Jairo Arcila is a third generation coffee grower in Quindío, Colombia. Married to Luz Helena Salazar they had two children together: Carlos and Felipe Arcila, the co-founders of Cofinet.

We wrote a blog post on this coffee in 2022. In June 2024, we wrote another blog post to reflect on evolving trends which include maceration coffees.


Roast Level
This coffee has moderate moisture and density, and is slightly larger in size as compared to the usual bourbon. This coffee challenges roasters by sweating, so extra care is taken to prevent that - coffee is not over-roasted on its surface while the inside is not under-roasted. As usual, we adopted a light roast, but managing the roast for a balanced flavour without a sour and crushing afterflavour.

Brew Flavour
We use our usual Timemore Crystal Eye dripper with CAFEC TH-1 paper to brew this coffee, at 16g at 750μm to 220ml of 90°C water, at 1:14 brew ratio. This coffee is one of outstandingly intense aroma, from ground to brew. The intense strawberry aroma fills the room during the brew. In fact, the brewed filter paper continues to release strawberry aroma long after the brew. When hot, the coffee is more forward on strawberry on a background of nougat. With a coarser grind of 750μm, we get clearer and sweeter strawberry than nougat which could give a plastiky impression. As it cools further, sweeter notes emerge, with caramel and rose aroma carried on a medium and smooth body. The acidity becomes more vibrant and forward at this point. Slightly after, cacao nibs emerges. From hot to cold, the intense strawberry remains, while the secondary notes change with the temperature. Surely, the afterflavour is strawberry and it leaves the nose and throat perfumed for a while. Finish the coffee before it turns room temperature when flavour will be weaker and a fleeting passionfruit acidity reins. This is the brew recipe, in 1 bloom and 2 pours (long followed by short):

0th sec: Pour 45g of water. Swirl dripper for an even bloom.
30th - 100th sec: In 70 sec, add 135g of water slowly till 180g. Swirl the dripper and let water drains fully. 
[Check: 90g @ 45th sec]
105th - 120th sec: In 15 sec, add 40g of water till 220g


Savouring our world in a cup!
Enjoy!