El Paraíso Lychee Peach Decaf
Colombia ·Cauca
Proof a decaf can be the most fun cup on the shelf. Lychee and peach burst tropical and bright, with citrus lift and a soft vanilla sweetness rounding it out — clean and sweet. This is one of our all-time favorite decafs here at Isotope!
Process
Diego Bermúdez inoculates whole Castillo cherries with El Paraíso's proprietary yeast (YN-09, a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and ferments them anaerobically for 36 hours, then runs a second fermentation before the farm's signature thermal shock — alternating hot and cold water — halts it at its peak and locks the flavors in. A slow, dehumidified dry preserves the aromatics. Only then is the caffeine removed, using ethyl acetate naturally derived from Colombian sugarcane — a gentle method that leaves the fermentation-built lychee and peach character intact. All of the flavor, none of the caffeine.
In the cup
- Roast
- Light
- Acidity
- Juicy, bright
- Sweetness
- Tropical, candied
- Body
- Round, clean
Brewing
Dialing in the perfect cup is part of the fun. Here's where we recommend starting for this one:
- Best Rested
- 14+ days
- Method
- Filter, Espresso
- Water Temp
- 93–96°C (200–205°F)
- Ratio
- 1:16
- Grind
- Medium-Fine
Experiments for when you've nailed the recipe
Dial in your caffeine
Red Plum makes a nice pairing. Its plum and cherry sit underneath the decaf's lychee and peach, and the two meet in a juicy, fruit-forward cup with a soft vanilla sweetness. The more Red Plum you add, the deeper and jammier it gets. Weigh both coffees before grinding, then brew with the recipe above.
Shop Red Plum →Roasted to order by Isotope Coffee in Texas.