The Rise Series: Tasting Notes and Brewing Guide

The Rise Series is the heart of Kapalaj's lineup — two single-origin Guatemalan coffees that showcase what careful sourcing and thoughtful roasting can achieve. Each represents a distinct region and processing method, offering very different experiences in the cup.

Whether you're new to specialty coffee or a seasoned taster, this guide will help you get the most out of each bag. We'll walk through what to expect on the palate and how to brew for the best results.

Huehuetenango Washed

The Origin

Huehuetenango (pronounced "way-way-teh-NAHN-go") is Guatemala's highest coffee-growing region, tucked into the northwestern highlands near the Mexican border. Our lot comes from smallholder farms at 1,600–1,900 metres above sea level, where cool nights and dry winds from the Tehuantepec plain create ideal conditions for slow cherry maturation.

The coffee is fully washed — depulped, fermented in clean water tanks for 18–24 hours, thoroughly rinsed, and dried on raised beds over approximately two weeks. This meticulous processing strips away fruit material and lets the bean's inherent character take centre stage.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Floral and bright. You'll notice jasmine-like sweetness with hints of fresh citrus peel as you grind. Once brewed, the aroma opens up with a honeyed warmth.

First Sip: The acidity is the first thing that registers — clean, sparkling, and unmistakably citric. Think tangerine or blood orange rather than sharp lemon. It's juicy without being aggressive.

Mid-Palate: As the coffee coats your tongue, stone fruit emerges — ripe apricot and white peach. There's a delicate sweetness here that's more like honey than sugar, with a subtle floral quality that ties back to the aroma.

Body: Medium and silky. This is not a heavy, syrupy coffee. It's elegant — the kind of body that lets flavour nuances shine rather than burying them.

Finish: Long and clean. The citrus brightness lingers, gradually giving way to a gentle sweetness reminiscent of raw almond. No bitterness, no astringency — just a quiet invitation to take another sip.

Summary: Tangerine · Apricot · Honey · Jasmine · Clean finish

Brewing Recommendations

Best Methods: Pour-over (V60, Kalita Wave), AeroPress (standard method), batch filter

Dose and Ratio: 15g coffee to 250ml water (1:16.7). If you find it too bright, try 1:15 for a slightly more concentrated, sweeter cup.

Grind: Medium-fine. Think table salt. For V60, aim for a total brew time of 2:45–3:15.

Water Temperature: 94°C (201°F). Huehuetenango's dense, high-altitude beans benefit from the higher end of the brewing range to fully extract their complexity.

Water Quality: Use filtered water with a TDS of 80–150 ppm. Hard water will flatten the acidity that makes this coffee sing. Too soft, and the cup will taste hollow.

Tip: This coffee blooms dramatically — give it a 30-second bloom with twice the coffee weight in water, and watch the grounds dome upward. That's CO₂ escaping from freshly roasted, dense highland beans.

As Espresso: Works well as a single-origin espresso at 18g in, 40g out, in 28–32 seconds. Expect a bright, fruit-forward shot that's stunning as a cortado or piccolo.

Atitlán Natural

The Origin

Lake Atitlán is one of the most visually striking places in Guatemala — a volcanic caldera lake surrounded by steep slopes where coffee grows under the shade of native trees. Our Atitlán lot comes from farms at 1,500–1,700 metres on the flanks of the San Pedro volcano.

This coffee is natural-processed: whole cherries are dried intact on raised beds for four to five weeks, turned regularly throughout the day. During this extended drying period, the bean absorbs sugars and fruit compounds from the surrounding cherry, producing a dramatically different flavour profile from washed processing.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Rich and immediately inviting. Dried fruit — raisin and fig — dominate, with a dark chocolate undercurrent and a subtle boozy warmth, like a well-aged dessert wine.

First Sip: Sweetness hits first. This is a genuinely sweet coffee without adding anything to the cup. The sweetness is layered: dried cherry, dark berry jam, and a caramelised brown sugar quality that coats the palate.

Mid-Palate: Dark chocolate enters, deep and slightly bittersweet, like a 70% cacao bar. Behind it, there's a whisper of cinnamon spice and a berry quality that shifts between blueberry and blackberry depending on the brew temperature.

Body: Full and syrupy. This coffee has weight and texture — a viscous mouthfeel that natural processing is known for. It's almost chewy in the best possible way.

Finish: Long, warm, and sweet. The chocolate and dried fruit linger together, tapering slowly into a clean aftertaste with no ferment funk or unpleasant heaviness. This is a well-executed natural — all the intensity, none of the off-notes that plague lesser examples.

Summary: Dark chocolate · Dried cherry · Blueberry · Brown sugar · Full body

Brewing Recommendations

Best Methods: French press, AeroPress (inverted method), espresso, Moka pot

Dose and Ratio: 16g coffee to 240ml water (1:15). Natural coffees benefit from a slightly tighter ratio that concentrates their body and sweetness.

Grind: Medium for French press (coarse sea salt), medium-fine for AeroPress. French press steep time: 4 minutes, then break the crust and wait 5–6 more minutes before plunging gently.

Water Temperature: 91–93°C (196–199°F). Slightly lower than the Huehuetenango to prevent over-extracting the fruit sugars, which can tip into harsh or fermented territory at higher temperatures.

Water Quality: Same recommendation — filtered, 80–150 ppm TDS.

Tip: Try this coffee as a cold brew. Use 80g coarsely ground coffee per litre of cold water, steep for 16–18 hours in the fridge, then filter. The natural processing produces a cold brew with extraordinary sweetness and a chocolate-berry character that's almost like a coffee milkshake — without any milk.

As Espresso: Exceptional. Pull at 18g in, 36g out, in 26–30 seconds for a thick, sweet shot with heavy chocolate and berry notes. Makes an outstanding flat white or latte where the coffee's intensity cuts through milk beautifully.

Side by Side

	Huehuetenango Washed	Atitlán Natural
Character	Bright and elegant	Rich and bold
Acidity	High, citric	Low-medium, soft
Body	Medium, silky	Full, syrupy
Sweetness	Honey, floral	Brown sugar, fruit
Best For	Morning pour-over, black coffee lovers	Afternoon espresso, milk drinks, cold brew
Mood	A sunrise hike	A fireside evening

Getting the Most From Your Coffee

Regardless of which Rise Series coffee you choose, a few universal principles apply:

Buy fresh. Coffee is at its best 7–30 days after roasting. Check the roast date on the bag.

Store properly. Keep bags sealed, at room temperature, away from light and moisture. Don't refrigerate or freeze unless you're storing long-term (in which case, freeze in airtight, single-dose portions).

Grind just before brewing. Pre-ground coffee loses aromatic compounds within minutes. A decent burr grinder is the single biggest upgrade you can make to your home setup.

Use good water. Your coffee is 98% water. If your tap water doesn't taste good on its own, it won't make good coffee.

Experiment. The recommendations above are starting points. Adjust dose, grind, and temperature to suit your palate. The best brew recipe is the one you enjoy most.

The Rise Series is designed to show you what Guatemalan coffee can be — bright and clean, or rich and bold, depending on the day and your mood. Two coffees, two stories, one origin. Enjoy the journey.