Coffee from Costa Rica
Costa Rica invented the modern micro-mill: instead of selling cherry to a big processor, individual farms built their own mills, and honey processing as the world now knows it came out of that decision.
Tarrazú, the West Valley and Central Valley supply most specialty lots. The micro-mill revolution of the 2000s let growers capture processing value and experiment — yellow, red and black honey are all Costa Rican vocabulary describing how much mucilage stays on the bean and how slowly it dries.
The cup is typically clean, sweet and balanced: brown sugar, stone fruit, and a citric acidity that never dominates. Costa Rica also banned robusta cultivation from 1988 until 2018, an unusually blunt commitment to arabica.
- Coffees in the catalogue
- 5
- Growing regions
- Tarrazú, San Marcos de Tarrazu, Central Valley, Sabanilla de Alajuela, Brunca
- Varieties
- Catuai, Caturra, Catuai, Sarchimor T5296, Villa Sarchi
- Altitude
- 1,400 – 1,700 m
- Common notes
- red apple, honey, almond, raspberry and strawberry
- Price range
- $21.00 – $31.50
- Roasted by
- 5 roasters
5 Costa Rica coffees in the catalogue
- Costa Rica Tarrazu — Northern Coffeeworks. red apple, honey and almond. $23.00 / 340 g.
- Costa Rica | San Marcos de Tarrazu La Montana — Gaslight Coffee Roasters. raspberry, strawberry and milk chocolate. $24.90 / 340 g.
- Green Dragon Costa Rica — Stone Creek Coffee. orange blossom, green grape and honeydew. $21.00 / 340 g.
- Costa Rica Los Lajas — Ledger Coffee Roasters. fruit punch, pomegranate and rosehips. $22.00 / 284 g.
- Costa Rica Buena Vista Black Cherry Natural — Messenger Coffee Company. black cherry, brown sugar and cola. $31.50 / 284 g.