Centroamericano Coffee Review: The Underrated High-Yield Variety with Bright Citrus & Tea-Like Finish

 One of our “old friends” from past features—Finca Santa Maria—is back again! Lately, I’ve been drinking quite a few coffees from this estate, and I’ve noticed something interesting: not only do they have a distinctive approach to coffee varietal selection and cultivation, but even under similar terroir conditions, they really highlight the flavor differences between different varieties. And honestly, that’s a pretty exciting experience.

When people hear “Finca Santa Maria,” the first thing that comes to mind is probably Geisha. But in reality, the estate grows a wide range of other varieties as well. Just a few days ago, we talked about a variety called Centroamericano. As an F1 hybrid, it’s a cross between the rust-resistant T5296 and the Ethiopian landrace Rume Sudan. The former gives Centroamericano its strong, resilient structure, while the latter contributes a refined and classic flavor profile.

With yields roughly twice that of traditional varieties and enormous quality potential, Centroamericano holds significant value in the coffee market. In fact, many industry professionals even consider it “the future of coffee.”

Today, we’re going to take a closer look at this washed Centroamericano from Finca Santa Maria through a flavor review. Before diving into the tasting notes, I looked into some scientific research on its aromatic compounds. A study published in 2020 compared Centroamericano with the traditional Central American variety Caturra. The findings showed that Centroamericano contains higher levels of d-limonene—a compound responsible for citrus-like aromas. This helps explain why this variety ხშირად expresses such bright citrus notes.

As early as 2017, Centroamericano grown at Finca La Bestia in Nicaragua scored an impressive 90.5 points in the Cup of Excellence (COE). That score tells us something important: this variety doesn’t just excel in yield and disease resistance—it also delivers in the cup.

That said, as an F1 hybrid, Centroamericano’s flavor expression is highly influenced by factors like growing environment, altitude, and processing method. The same variety can taste quite different depending on the farm. In a way, that’s what makes it so special—it proves that high yield and disease resistance don’t have to come at the cost of flavor.

Since Centroamericano is still relatively under the radar, I want to spend a bit more time describing its physical characteristics. Even after roasting, you can still notice how large the beans are—visually full and weighty, clearly on the larger side. Interestingly, the plant itself is actually compact and dwarf-like, making it easier to manage and harvest. It’s a bit of a charming contrast: small trees producing relatively large beans. While it’s not as exaggerated as Pacamara’s “giant beans,” it’s definitely among the larger Arabica varieties.

Once ground, the dry aroma reminds me of green apple and sweet plum juice. After brewing, the most striking impression is how wide and layered the flavor structure feels. Up front, you get a lively, juicy sweetness with stone fruit acidity. Moving into the mid-palate, there’s a sense of balance and a solid body, bringing in nutty notes. The finish leans toward a black tea-like elegance, with excellent layering throughout.

Genetics really do matter. For a hybrid with such strong resistance to coffee leaf rust, maintaining this level of flavor integrity is seriously impressive.

In my opinion, Centroamericano is a severely underrated variety. Its biggest strength lies in its complexity: you get clear fruit notes (peach, citrus), alongside warm nutty and chocolate tones (hazelnut, cocoa). As the roaster for this particular coffee, Zhu Huan Coffee didn’t push the heavier aspects too far. Instead, the finish is lighter, more tea-like, with a gentle transition into chocolate notes in the mid-to-late stages—creating a layered yet highly drinkable cup.

Regardless of roasting style, I think the general flavor trajectory of Centroamericano tends to follow a pattern: citrus notes as the foundation, stone fruit sweetness in the middle, and a finish of nuts, cocoa, or even black tea.

So if we were to summarize it:

Centroamericano = compact plant + large beans + high yield + strong leaf rust resistance + high quality potential.

That’s a pretty rare combination in the coffee world. Beneath its “practical” traits of productivity and resilience lies a surprisingly deep and expressive flavor profile.

Slow Coffee in Shanghai: A Hidden Café That Invites You to Take Your Time

 As one of China’s top-tier metropolitan cities, Shanghai, to me, is defined not only by its remarkable openness and cultural diversity, but also by one underlying force that fuels it all: speed.

It’s a city where even red lights make you want to hurry across the street. Time here is measured with precision—subways arrive every few minutes, food deliveries show up within minutes, emails are expected to be answered within minutes. Beneath the city’s glamour often lies a quiet sense of anxiety. Sometimes, when we step into a café, it’s not entirely for the coffee—it’s to catch our breath.

Maybe it’s the younger generation that understands this quiet helplessness the most. That’s why the phrase “Take your time in life” feels especially gentle. And it was exactly this kind of gentleness that moved me during my recent visit.

Tucked away at 222 Danshui Road in Shanghai’s Huangpu District is a café with a simple, memorable name: Buji Café Shop. Buji—which literally means “no rush”—echoes the message displayed right at the entrance: “Take your time in life.” In a city where “faster” has become a form of productivity, and coffee itself is often reduced to a functional caffeine fix, this place feels like a quiet act of resistance—an invitation to slow down and simply sit for a while.

I especially love the storefront of Buji. Paired with a bicycle overflowing with fresh flowers, it feels like a scene from an early spring outing—effortless and serene. I’m quite familiar with Danshui Road; over the years, I’ve visited many cafés here. The narrow, old streets carry a sense of local culture, along with the warmth of everyday life. If you truly take the time to experience Shanghai, you’ll find that beneath the fast-paced surface, there’s a softness capable of healing you. “Taking it slow” here isn’t about laziness or giving up—it’s more like being told: here, you’re allowed not to rush.

Right by the entrance sits a fish tank filled with tropical fish, catching the attention of nearly everyone who passes by. Some children gently tap on the glass to interact, others pause to watch, and some are drawn inside, ordering a coffee and quietly observing the fish glide freely through the water. In a way, this too feels like the perfect expression of “taking it slow.”

The café itself is compact, but the high ceiling makes it feel open and airy. There’s also a small loft upstairs—a cozy little nook you can claim as your own. If you’re looking for a quiet moment alone, the downstairs area feels like a sanctuary for the soul.

In a place like this, I prefer sitting at the bar. It gives me a reason to spend two minutes watching a shot of espresso slowly drip into the cup. I can zone out while staring at the fish tank—and I even noticed one particularly assertive fish claiming the best spot where the water temperature and oxygen levels are just right. A row of unfamiliar potted plants sits nearby, each quietly radiating resilience. In that moment, I realized this kind of “slowness” isn’t about procrastination—it’s about carving out a space for yourself within the city’s dense rhythm, a space that isn’t dictated by efficiency.

The café offers four house espresso beans, each with its own catchy name. After taking a closer look, I put together my own combination. The barista even complimented my order, saying it’s a favorite among many regulars—so I must’ve done something right, haha.

One of their single-origin espresso options, called “Orange Sea,” is a dark-roasted natural Ethiopian. Its dry aroma, enhanced by the deeper roast, carries hints of chocolate, but more prominently, notes of dried fruit. It holds onto the classic foundation of traditional espresso while adding layers of flavor complexity, making it a highly versatile bean.

I naturally chose it for a flat white. The result was smooth and well-balanced, with a rich sweetness. It turned out cleaner than I expected, filled with dried fruit notes—like red fruits transformed into fruit leather—along with a soft, rounded texture reminiscent of a creamy cake.

At that moment, the phrase “Take your time in life”—displayed above the bar—felt like more than just decoration. It seemed like a declaration of the owner’s philosophy toward extraction. Not every Ethiopian coffee needs to be lightly roasted to preserve floral notes. A darker roast, when done right, can bring out the richness of dried fruits and a creamy softness—an unexpected delight worth savoring slowly. And by allowing enough time for the coffee grounds and water to interact, you extract the bean’s most authentic flavors. This kind of “slowness” is a form of respect for the integrity of the coffee.

For contrast, I also chose a lighter, medium roast option—a Colombian washed coffee called “La Vie en Rose.” Its dry aroma carries a hint of tropical fruit. It works especially well as a black coffee, since an Americano allows the flavors to fully open up. You’ll taste a bright balance of fruity acidity and sweetness, followed by notes of caramel and a touch of chocolate toward the finish. Its layered profile evolves with each sip, offering a vivid, almost tangible sense of progression.

Talking about “taking it slow” in Shanghai is, in many ways, both a luxury and a form of romance. It’s not about giving up the hustle—it’s about knowing that when you’re tired, there’s a chair waiting for you; when it rains, there’s a warm cup of coffee ready. Life is long—it won’t be defined by the time it takes to enjoy one cup of coffee.

To me, the phrase on the storefront is also an invitation. To those who walk in, it says: there’s no rush here—you can sit all afternoon and leave whenever you’re ready. And to those just passing by: even if you don’t step inside, if that one sentence makes you pause for a second, brings a faint smile to your lips, or makes you quietly think, “Yeah… no need to rush,” then you’ve already formed a warm, subtle connection—with this café, and with the city itself.

Gold Washed Coffee Explained: What Is Gold Washed Processing & Why It Tastes So Sweet

 When shopping for coffee, you may have come across a processing method labeled “Gold Washed.” We’re all familiar with one of the classic processing methods—washed—but what does the addition of gold actually mean? How is it different from traditional washed coffee? Today, I’d like to dedicate this article to exploring exactly what the Gold Washed process is.

I wanted to write this piece because I recently encountered an outstanding roaster from Kyoto at a coffee festival. They were showcasing a Red Bourbon from the Popayán region of Cauca, Colombia, processed using the Gold Washed method. That coffee left a deep impression on me—it was simply too good. Naturally, it sparked my curiosity to dig deeper into this processing style. (I’ll be sharing a full tasting review of that coffee later. I couldn’t resist and ordered two bags on the spot—no hesitation at all.)

When it comes to “Gold Washed,” there is a certain degree of producer-specific ownership to the method. By that, I mean that while the process can be learned and replicated, most of the Gold Washed coffees currently available on the market come from Santuario Project. Santuario is a professional coffee producer and exporter with farms and processing facilities in Colombia, Costa Rica, Brazil, Mexico, Ethiopia, and El Salvador.

In this article, we’ll focus on two things:

1. The overall workflow of the Gold Washed process

2. The specific advantages it brings to flavor expression

In simple terms, Gold Washed combines the strengths of both washed and natural processing. It does not strictly belong to the traditional washed category. Instead, it can be seen as a more refined, upgraded version of washed processing. The core goal is to retain the clean, bright flavor profile of washed coffees while introducing the enhanced sweetness, fruit complexity, and body commonly found in natural processing—through carefully controlled fermentation.

To better understand this, let’s compare it step by step with the traditional washed process.

The initial steps are exactly the same. First comes harvesting and flotation: only fully ripe red cherries are picked, then placed in water tanks to remove floaters, defects, and debris. Next, a depulping machine removes the outer skin and most of the fruit flesh. At this stage, the coffee beans are still coated in a sticky layer of mucilage.

Up to this point, the process is identical to traditional washed coffee. The key difference begins during the mucilage fermentation stage. In a classic washed process, mucilage-covered beans are submerged in water for underwater fermentation, typically lasting 12–36 hours. After fermentation, the mucilage is completely washed away with large amounts of clean water, followed by drying.

Gold Washed processing takes a different approach. Instead of fermenting underwater, the beans—still coated with mucilage—are placed in a dry or semi-dry environment (without full water immersion) for a longer, tightly controlled dry fermentation, which may last several days. During this time, temperature, pH levels, and humidity are closely monitored.

The reason for this method is to allow microorganisms—such as yeasts and bacteria—to interact more deeply with the mucilage, producing more complex sugars and flavor compounds. At the same time, the beans are not in contact with the full fruit mass as in natural processing, making the process more controllable and consistent in quality. This is a critical distinction: traditional washed processing prioritizes efficiency and cleanliness, often washing away much of the fermentation-driven flavor potential. Gold Washed coffees, on the other hand, manage to preserve the cleanliness of washed coffees while capturing the sweetness and expressive character typically associated with naturals.

Next comes the drying stage. In traditional washed processing, fully washed parchment coffee (still wrapped in its inner skin) is dried on patios or in mechanical dryers until moisture content reaches around 11–12%. With Gold Washed, after fermentation reaches its intended endpoint, the beans may be lightly rinsed with water, but not thoroughly washed as in traditional methods, before moving on to drying. (Perhaps this brief contact with water is why it still carries the “washed” name—just a thought.)

This gentle rinse is more important than it might sound. Its purpose is to halt fermentation, preventing over-fermentation and ensuring flavor balance in the final cup.

Because of the extended and carefully managed fermentation, Gold Washed coffees tend to develop higher sugar content, resulting in a pronounced sweetness. At the same time, they retain the hallmark bright acidity of washed coffees—often reminiscent of citrus, lemon, or green apple. The overall flavor profile is clean and well-defined, yet layered with notes of stone fruits (such as peach or apricot), berries, and sometimes even subtle tropical fruit nuances. The mouthfeel is rounder and smoother. (Honestly, I found almost all of these characteristics in the coffee I tasted—and it was incredibly satisfying.)

I really enjoy sharing these less common but thoughtfully designed processing innovations—methods that push boundaries without resorting to extreme or gimmicky techniques. Gold Washed is a great example of a modern processing approach that uses precise fermentation control to optimize flavor. It doesn’t aim to overthrow tradition, but rather to refine it.

If you appreciate the cleanliness of washed coffee but wish for more sweetness and fruit complexity, then the next time you see a coffee labeled Gold Washed, don’t hesitate. It’s absolutely worth trying.

Why Every Pour-Over Lover Swears by Yirgacheffe Coffee Beans What Makes Them So Irresistible?

 

☕ Origin & Location

Core Region:
Yirgacheffe lies in the Sidama area of southwestern Ethiopia. Although Ethiopia underwent administrative restructuring in 2019—placing the town of Yirgacheffe under the Gedeo Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region—the term “Yirgacheffe” still refers broadly to the highland coffee-growing belt surrounding the town and its neighboring districts.

Geography:
This region sits high on the Ethiopian Plateau, at elevations between 1,700 and 2,200 meters (5,600–7,200 ft). Its remarkable combination of altitude, volcanic soil, abundant rainfall, mild temperatures, and lush shade trees creates the perfect conditions for world-class coffee.

Representative Villages:
Yirgacheffe’s core micro-regions include the town itself and surrounding areas such as Kochere and Gedeb (also known as Gotiti). These micro-lots are celebrated for their exceptional cup quality, each expressing subtle differences in aroma and flavor.

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🌸 Flavor Profile

Yirgacheffe coffee is world-famous for its bright, floral, and fruit-forward flavor—a taste experience that overturns the old notion of coffee as merely “bitter and heavy.” Its hallmark characteristics include:

1. Citrus Brilliance:
   The defining feature is a crisp, lively acidity reminiscent of lemon, sweet orange, tangerine peel, or grapefruit. This citrus tang is vivid yet balanced—refreshing rather than sharp.

2. Enchanting Floral Notes:
   Expect strong aromas of jasmine, bergamot, and wild ginger blossom, especially in washed coffees. These floral tones bloom both in the dry fragrance and the brewed aroma.

   

3. Delicate Fruit Sweetness:
   Yirgacheffe often carries hints of berries (strawberry, blueberry), stone fruits (peach, apricot), or tropical fruits (guava, mango). Naturally processed lots tend to have bolder, jammy berry notes—like strawberry preserves or blueberry compote.

4. Elegant Tea-Like Clarity:
   Particularly in washed coffees, Yirgacheffe exhibits a clean, tea-like body with subtle Earl Grey or black tea notes. Its cup profile is exceptionally pure and free from muddiness.

5. Smooth Texture & Sweet Finish:
   The mouthfeel is light yet silky, often ending with a honeyed or cane-sugar sweetness that lingers long after each sip.

   
   
   

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⚙️ Processing and Its Impact on Flavor

• Washed (Wet Processed):
  Highlights clean citrus acidity, floral brightness, and clarity. Perfect for those who love a refreshing, transparent cup.

• Natural (Sun-Dried):
  Accentuates fruit sweetness, jammy berry tones, tropical complexity, and fuller body, sometimes with a gentle hint of fermentation.

  
  
  

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🌍 Influence on the Specialty Coffee World

Yirgacheffe holds an iconic place in the world of specialty coffee, shaping its very identity and evolution:

1. A Pillar of the Third Wave Movement:
   Yirgacheffe helped spark the modern appreciation for origin, terroir, and nuanced flavor, proving that coffee can be as complex and regionally expressive as wine.

2. Redefining What “Good Coffee” Means:
   It demonstrated that altitude, heirloom varieties, and precise processing could unlock extraordinary taste potential—shifting focus from roasting alone to the entire chain of cultivation and terroir.

3. Promoting Transparency & Direct Trade:
   Yirgacheffe’s success inspired roasters to source directly from smallholder cooperatives and micro-lots, valuing traceability and fair trade while supporting local farmers.

   
   
   

4. Setting the Flavor Standard:
   The bright, clean, floral-fruity profile of Yirgacheffe has become the benchmark for evaluating Ethiopian and other high-quality Arabicas. When someone describes a coffee as “Yirgacheffe-like,” they mean elegant, refined, and vibrant.

5. Driving Processing Innovation:
   The region remains a testing ground for new methods—including anaerobic fermentation and honey processing—constantly expanding the sensory boundaries of coffee.

6. Global Prestige and High Market Value:
   Top-grade Yirgacheffe coffees—especially from renowned micro-regions and elite washing stations—often fetch premium prices at international auctions, a testament to their rarity and prestige.

   
   
   

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📝 Summary

Grown in Ethiopia’s high-elevation Yirgacheffe region, this coffee stands as the undisputed king of elegance in the specialty world. With its captivating floral aroma, lively citrus brightness, layered fruit sweetness, and pristine clarity, Yirgacheffe represents more than just a drink—it’s a flavor revolution.

It has redefined modern coffee aesthetics, inspired direct-trade ethics, and deepened our appreciation for origin and craftsmanship. To savor a well-brewed cup of Yirgacheffe is to taste the soul of Ethiopian terroir—refined, radiant, and timeless.