Imagine the delicious flavor featuring notes of honey and chocolate, a pleasant touch of tropical fruits, and a delightful caramel aftertaste. This is Costa Rica, coffee beans that are carefully handpicked on the Colima coffee farm in Naranjo. Large beans are processed in a special manner ― the pulp from coffee cherries is not removed completely, and the beans are dried on a patio and then in a rotary dryer. This exceptional technique provides the honey notes.
Hacienda Colima is located on the slopes of Barva Volcano in the Central Valley, 1500 meters above sea level. Fertile volcanic soil is perfect for the Red Caturra variety, which is why the coffee has a well-balanced taste and flavor, and features chocolate notes. The history of Colima dates back to the beginning of the 19th century; the traditions of coffee cultivation, then established, are still in use and relevant.
Naranjo is the name of the farmers’ cooperative society in the canton of Naranjo, the province of Alajuela. Half a century ago, several small farmers united to develop a local coffee community. We should note that they perfectly embodied this idea ― today Naranjo can be proud of the professional training of farmers, economically clean energy projects, and, of course, excellent coffee harvests.
They have been growing coffee in Costa Rica since the nineteenth century, when the Spaniards brought it to America. Moreover, they grow only Arabica because the law prohibits Robusta. More than ten Arabica varieties have been created here over 200 years of Costa Rica’s coffee history. Although the country produces only about 1% of the world’s coffee reserves, Costa Rican coffee is always of the highest quality. The climate of the mountainous region with slight temperature fluctuations and sufficient humidity, volcanic soil, and the diligence of farmers ― all of this contributes to the highest class of coffee.
We have known this processing method since 2006, when “honey” coffee won the Cosecha de Oro (the Golden Harvest) “blind” coffee cupping competition. The farmer who won the contest spoke about the automatic removal of pulp from the cherry. He didn’t wash the coffee bean and didn’t ferment it completely.
Helpful tip: Costa Ricans brew coffee using the chorreador de cafe ― a device for pour-over coffee. They commonly believe that the best way to brew Costa Rican coffee is drip-brewed coffee or filtered coffee. Pour hot water into the cup with ground coffee and in a few minutes, you will enjoy the aromatic beverage.
Features
- State and region: Costa Rica \ Naranjo, Colima
- Growing Altitude: 1400-1500 meters above sea level
- Variety: Red Caturra
- Process: Unwashed
- Roast: Omni Roast
- Size: 250g
