Day 14 of RISE Coffee Countdown Calendar - Costa Rica Western & Central Valley
Origin: Costa Rica
Location: Western & Central highlands
Altitude: 1200 masl
Bean: Arabica
Varietals: Mixed
Certifications: Fair Trade
Process: Washed
Tasting notes: Jammy, citrus and sweet
Why Alice and Ben love it: We LOVE Costa Rican coffee. This is a really clean, sweet cup of coffee. Alice and Ben are heading to Costa Rica in January of 2025 to meet with some of the farmers from this cup!
About the coffee:
SHB. Strictly Hard Bean, a quality and altitude spec from Costa Rica and Guatema- la, usually meaning that the coffee has been grown above 1,200 meters above sea level (MASL), usually a denser and higher-quality bean than the HB (Hard Bean) classification.
Costa Rica enjoys the best possible conditions for growing superb coffee: a high-altitude central plateau basking in a mild, temperate climate with good moisture
and cool nights, and covering about 2,000 square miles; rich volcanic-based soil; ports on two oceans; and a stable, organised, commercially-oriented government. Of course, the inaccessibility of the highest altitudes makes coffee transportation difficult and expensive, and there is always the worry of volcanic activity and the devastating tropical storms which plague Central American existence.
The best coffees are generally those from around the capital city of San José, and the nearby towns of Heredia and Alajuela. The Tarrazu region to the south of San José produces some superb coffees of exquisite acidity and “clean” cup liquor.
This Fair Trade Costa Rican coffee is sourced from multiple cooperatives in the heart of Costa Rica. Many farms are intercropped with other cash crops; this includes tobacco, sugar cane and false bananas. Fairtrade certified coffee volumes account for a small amount of Costa Rica’s overall export market.
