Topeca Coffee Roasters has accomplished something nearly unheard of in specialty coffee: a fully traceable, direct-trade decaf. The Santa Ana Swiss Water Decaf comes from Topeca's own farms in El Salvador—a container of green coffee shipped to the Swiss Water facility in Vancouver, decaffeinated using the chemical-free Swiss Water Process, then returned to Tulsa for roasting. This is decaf with a story, and it tastes like it.
The result is a lighter, more dynamic roast that rivals any fully caffeinated offering. This isn't compromise coffee. It's a celebration of what's possible when a roaster controls every link in the chain, from the Lopez-Diaz family's century-old Ayutepeque farm to the final roast profile.
Tasting Notes
Expect vibrant dried fruit up front—think apricot and raisin—followed by a smooth, sweet nougat midpalate. The finish is rich and chocolatey, with cacao nib depth that lingers. The body is velvety and full, designed to mirror Topeca's Signature Espresso. Acidity is gentle and balanced, making this approachable whether you're drinking it at breakfast or after dinner.
The blend combines washed and natural-process lots from Santa Ana, grown at 1100–1550 meters. Bourbon, Pacas, and Marsellesa varietals bring complexity without sharpness. The Swiss Water Process preserves the coffee's inherent sweetness and doesn't leave behind the flatness common in lesser decafs.
Brew Methods
This coffee was built for espresso—pull it as a straight shot or use it in milk drinks where that nougat sweetness really shines. It's equally excellent as drip, pour over, or French press. For pour over, try a medium grind and slightly hotter water (202–205°F) to coax out the fruit notes. In a French press, it develops a heavier body and pronounced chocolate finish. If you're comparing it side-by-side with Topeca's caffeinated Signature Espresso, you'll be hard-pressed to tell the difference.
About Topeca Coffee Roasters
Topeca has spent years building direct relationships with farming families in El Salvador, and this decaf is the culmination of that work. After participating in James Hoffmann's decaf exploration project, they retooled their entire decaf program to create a product that's as traceable and delicious as their single-origin offerings. They're one of the only roasteries in the world offering a direct-trade decaf alongside its caffeinated counterpart—a transparency benchmark for the industry.
If you're new to dialing in decaf or curious about grinder settings and brew ratios, Clive's team is here to help. We love talking through extraction tweaks and equipment pairings that bring out the best in coffees like this.