Ceremony Coffee Roasters

Colombia Finca La Concepción

colombia light roast washed caturra
stone fruitblack teaorange blossom honey

Nariño sits in Colombia's southwest, close to the Ecuadorian border, where farms push into altitude ranges that slow cherry maturation dramatically. At 2,000 meters, Finca La Concepción is near the upper boundary of specialty coffee's quality sweet spot — above 2,000 meters, diminishing returns start to appear as cooler temperatures extend maturation past the point of additional benefit. At this elevation, cherries mature over nine to eleven months rather than six to eight, accumulating sugars and organic acid precursors through sustained diurnal temperature swings of 8 to 10 degrees that preserve photosynthesized sugars overnight. Washed processing is the right container for what altitude builds in. Depulping and fermenting clean strips away fruit-derived variables, letting the terroir and variety drive the cup. The stone fruit notes — plum, apricot — come from malic acid, which contributes its crisp, sweet character when citric acid holds the primary brightness. Orange blossom honey in the aroma is Maillard-derived: phenylalanine converting via Strecker degradation to phenylacetaldehyde, a honey and floral compound that forms during light roasting and is among the most potent volatiles in coffee at that development level. The black tea quality is a function of what light roasting doesn't do. Chlorogenic acids remain high when roast development is short — these are the primary bitterness compounds that also produce astringency, but at controlled levels they provide the tannic, clean-edged quality associated with well-made tea. Roast darker and CGAs decompose into quinic acid, tipping from pleasant brightness toward harsh bitterness. Caturra at this altitude produces a bean with above-average density and soluble concentration. Washed processing then delivers slightly higher extraction yields than naturals, meaning the cup can absorb a wider range of parameters without going thin.
Chemex 6-Cup 96/100
Grind: 510μm Temp: 94°C Ratio: 1:15.0-1:16.0 Time: 3:30-4:30

The Chemex earns the top score (96/100) here because its thick bonded filter directly addresses this bean's flavor profile. Washed Caturra from 2,000 meters delivers a cup where clarity is the primary virtue — the stone fruit, black tea, and orange blossom honey notes are delicate, and they compete with oils and fines for palate attention. The Chemex filter removes those oils entirely, leaving nothing between you and the terroir-driven acidity. The grind at 510μm is finer than Chemex's typical medium-fine range because light roasts are denser and less soluble; the thicker filter already slows flow, so the finer grind doesn't risk over-restriction. The 1:15.5 ratio paired with 94°C fully develops the honey-floral sweetness and stone fruit character without tipping into the harsh bitterness that higher temps would produce.

Troubleshooting
sour: Grind finer by ~22μm and raise temperature 1°C. The Chemex's thick filter already restricts flow; at this light roast level, under-extraction is the primary risk. The stone fruit acids dominate when extraction stops short — finer grind and more heat push into the sweet caramel range.
thin: Increase dose by 1g or reduce water by 15g. The Chemex filter strips oils aggressively, which already reduces perceived body. If TDS is also low — common with light-roast Caturra's limited solubility — the cup reads watery. A metal filter is an option if body is consistently the issue.
Hario V60-02 88/100
Grind: 460μm Temp: 94°C Ratio: 1:15.0-1:16.0 Time: 2:30-3:30

The V60 recipe here sits at 460μm — 40μm finer than the default, driven entirely by the light roast adjustment. Light roasting leaves more intact cell structure and lower solubility, so the grind compensates by increasing surface area. Caturra at 2,000 meters produces a dense bean with elevated soluble concentration, meaning the V60's open flow geometry and 94°C temperature can pull full extraction without stalling. The 1:15.5 ratio anchors strength at the upper edge of the filter coffee range, which is appropriate for this bean's density — you want enough TDS to carry the stone fruit and orange blossom honey aromas that would be washed out at a leaner ratio. The V60's conical bed and spiral ribs allow for faster drawdown than the Chemex, which here is a trade-off: slightly less tea-like clarity, but quicker feedback on your pour consistency.

Troubleshooting
sour: Grind finer by ~22μm and increase temperature by 1°C. At this altitude and light roast, the dense Caturra cells resist full extraction — you're pulling acids before the stone fruit and caramel compounds dissolve. Finer grind increases surface area to extract deeper into the soluble range.
thin: Increase dose by 1g or reduce water by 15g. Light-roasted Caturra from 2,000m has high soluble density but low solubility — TDS can run low even with correct technique. A metal filter instead of paper will also add body by passing oils the paper currently strips.
Kalita Wave 185 88/100
Grind: 490μm Temp: 94°C Ratio: 1:16.0-1:17.0 Time: 3:00-4:00

The Kalita Wave's flat-bottom bed and three-hole drain produce more even extraction than the V60's single-point exit — flat-bottom geometry has been documented to yield more uniform sweetness because there's less bypass channeling at the cone's edges. For this washed Caturra from Nariño, that evenness matters: the stone fruit and tea notes are mid-extraction compounds, and they show up cleanest when the bed extracts consistently from edge to center. The recipe sits at 490μm and 94°C, mirroring the V60 parameters but with a slightly longer 3:00-4:00 target time due to the slower drain design. The 1:16.5 ratio is marginally leaner than the V60 recipe, which compensates for the Kalita's fuller body tendency and keeps the cup from going heavy in a way that would obscure the orange blossom honey aroma.

Troubleshooting
sour: Grind finer by ~22μm and increase temperature by 1°C. The Kalita's flat bed is forgiving but still requires adequate extraction of this dense, high-altitude Caturra. Sourness indicates you're pulling only the early-extracting acids — finer grind extends contact uniformly across the flat bed.
thin: Increase dose by 1g or reduce water by 15g. The Kalita's paper filter removes oils similarly to the V60; if TDS is low from under-dosing or a lean ratio, the cup reads thin. A metal filter insert adds body by restoring the oil fraction the paper currently captures.
AeroPress 82/100
Grind: 360μm Temp: 85°C Ratio: 1:12.0-1:13.0 Time: 1:00-2:00

The AeroPress brews at 85°C using a full-immersion steep, where every ground particle is in constant contact with water for the entire brew window — a fundamentally different extraction approach than drip-through methods. That immersion contact, combined with the pressure plunge, means the AeroPress extracts efficiently even at its standard lower temperature. The 360μm grind (40μm finer than default, adjusted for light roast density) ensures adequate surface area in the short 1-2 minute brew window. The 1:12.5 ratio produces a concentrate-leaning brew that, when consumed directly, delivers the floral and plum notes in a denser form than pour-over methods achieve. The short press time keeps the extraction window tight, preventing the bitter buildup that extended steeping produces.

Troubleshooting
sour: Grind finer by ~22μm or increase temperature by 1°C. At 85°C, this light Caturra still needs adequate surface area to reach the sweet extraction zone. Sourness means acids extracted but caramel compounds didn't follow — a finer grind or slight temp bump resolves it.
thin: Increase dose by 1g or reduce water by 15g. The AeroPress's 1:12.5 ratio is already concentrated; if the cup reads thin, the bean's low solubility at light roast is the culprit. A metal AeroPress filter also adds body compared to the included micro-filter paper.
Clever Dripper 82/100
Grind: 490μm Temp: 94°C Ratio: 1:15.0-1:16.0 Time: 3:00-4:00

The Clever Dripper sits at 82/100 by combining immersion steeping with paper-filtered drawdown — a hybrid that gives this bean access to both higher extraction efficiency from full contact and the oil-stripping clarity of a paper filter. For washed Caturra from 2,000 meters, the paper filter portion is the relevant advantage: the delicate stone fruit and orange blossom notes survive better without the oil fraction that would appear in an unfiltered immersion. The recipe uses 490μm and 94°C, identical to the Kalita Wave, because the extraction mechanics are similar once the valve opens. The steeping phase (the Clever's distinguishing feature) provides more even initial wetting than a continuous pour, which helps with this light roast's hydrophobic behavior — freshly roasted light beans resist initial wetting, and immersion bypasses the bloom technique that pour-overs rely on.

Troubleshooting
sour: Grind finer by ~22μm and increase temperature by 1°C. The Clever's immersion phase helps even extraction, but this light Caturra's density still demands enough surface area to reach the caramel extraction zone. Sourness is the predictable result when extraction stops at the acid phase.
thin: Increase dose by 1g or reduce water by 15g. The paper filter strips oils, removing one body contributor. If the bean's limited light-roast solubility produces low TDS on top of that, the cup reads thin. A metal filter option unlocks more body if the issue is structural rather than ratio-related.
Espresso 81/100
Grind: 210μm Temp: 93°C Ratio: 1:1.9-1:2.9 Time: 0:28-0:35

Light roast espresso is the hardest recipe in the set — and this Nariño Caturra at 2,000 meters is a particularly demanding candidate. The density score is high, solubility is low, and the shot pressure must extract through both factors simultaneously. The recipe accounts for this with a 1:2.4 ratio (considerably longer than a traditional 1:2), 93°C, and a need for preinfusion. The 210μm grind and 40μm light-roast finer adjustment create a puck with high resistance; without preinfusion, water channels around the hard particles before they saturate. Expect the brightness of the Nariño origin to concentrate intensely — bright fruit acids amplify under 9-bar pressure, and the compounds that contribute floral and honey character in a pour-over will come through as a dense floral-citrus note in the espresso.

Troubleshooting
sour: Grind finer by ~10μm and increase temperature by 1°C. Espresso adjustments for light roast are incremental — 10μm changes here are significant. High-altitude Caturra's dense cells resist extraction at pressure; sourness means you're pulling acid-phase compounds before the caramels have dissolved.
thin: Increase dose by 1g or reduce yield water by 15g to tighten the ratio. At light roast, espresso TDS runs lower than darker roasts because solubility is limited. A thinner shot means the full intensity of this Nariño's stone fruit concentration isn't coming through.
Moka Pot 79/100
Grind: 310μm Temp: 100°C Ratio: 1:9.0-1:10.0 Time: 4:00-5:00

The Moka Pot's 1-1.5 bar pressure sits well below espresso's 9 bar, but far above atmospheric — enough to concentrate this light Caturra significantly without the precision demands of espresso dialing. The recipe starts with pre-boiled water (Hoffmann's key instruction), which prevents the bottom chamber from slowly cooking the grounds before pressure builds. At 310μm, the grind is finer than pour-over but coarser than espresso, calibrated for the Moka Pot's lower pressure and longer extraction window. The 100°C chamber temp paired with the 40μm finer light roast grind keeps extraction aggressive enough to pull through this dense Nariño bean. The main risk here is the opposite of espresso's: run the heat too high after the first pour emerges and the bright stone fruit character bakes into a flat, harsh result. Remove from heat at first gurgle.

Troubleshooting
sour: Grind finer by ~22μm and ensure water is pre-boiled before filling the base chamber. Sourness in a Moka Pot usually means under-extraction — either coarse grind or insufficient heat. The light-roast Caturra's density is the culprit; finer grind increases surface contact with the low-pressure steam.
thin: Increase dose by 1g or reduce water by 15g. Moka Pot output is inherently concentrated, but light roast solubility limits how much you can extract. TDS running low indicates the bean's solubles aren't fully dissolving at this pressure level.
strong: Decrease dose by 1g or increase water by 15g. Occasionally this dense Caturra over-concentrates if the grind is too fine or heat too sustained. Back off dose first — reducing water in the bottom chamber can create uneven pressure distribution.
French Press 76/100
Grind: 960μm Temp: 96°C Ratio: 1:14.0-1:15.0 Time: 4:00-8:00

French Press scores 76/100 for this washed, light-roasted Caturra because the method's fundamental mechanism conflicts with what this bean offers. Immersion brewing with a metal mesh filter passes oils and fines into the cup, adding body — but this bean's primary appeal is tea-like clarity and delicate floral-acid character, not body. The recipe compensates with 96°C water, 2°C above the pour-over temperature, because the coarser 960μm grind has dramatically less surface area and needs hotter water to drive the Noyes-Whitney diffusion equation hard enough for adequate extraction. The 1:14.5 ratio is leaner than the pour-over specs, which acknowledges that immersion with this much surface area and contact time can over-concentrate. Wait the full 5-8 minutes post-press before serving — Hoffmann's counterintuitive finding that grounds settling produces a cleaner cup holds especially true for delicate washed coffees like this.

Troubleshooting
sour: Grind finer by ~22μm or increase temperature by 1°C. The coarse French Press grind is the main extraction constraint here — this light Caturra's dense cells resist diffusion at coarse settings. Finer grind narrows the extraction gap between surface and core particles.
thin: Increase dose by 1g or reduce water by 15g. Washed light roasts have lower solubility than their density suggests; at a coarse grind, extraction yield is also limited. More coffee in the same water volume increases TDS without requiring finer grinding that would muddy the French Press cup.
Cold Brew Flash Brew Recommended

Cold brew is not recommended for this bean. At near-freezing temperatures, cold water cannot extract the complex acids, delicate aromatics, and bright fruit compounds that define a light-roasted coffee — they remain locked in the cell matrix. For a cold version of this coffee, use flash brew: brew a concentrated pour-over (V60 or Chemex at 60% of the normal water volume) directly over ice in the server. The hot water extracts the full flavor spectrum, and the rapid ice cooling locks in volatiles that would otherwise evaporate during a slow cool-down.