Costa Rica Tarrazú Otis Granite Yellow Honey Process Geisha Growing Conditions Geography Climate

Characteristics of Honey Processing

At harvest, sugar content is tested first, and only cherries measuring 21-22% sugar are selected. What sets honey processing apart from other methods is that it requires drying on African beds. Dried directly on concrete or bare soil, the beans are easily scratched during turning, which invites bacterial contamination, and sun-drying on soil can also give the coffee an earthy taste.

Taste Differences Between Honey and Washed Processing

Compared with washed processing, honey processing gives higher sweetness, greater sugar content and a relatively fuller body at the same roast level.

Honey-processed beans also need good ventilation while drying, otherwise the retained pectin mucilage ferments or molds easily and produces off-flavors.

The honey methods seen most often are yellow honey, red honey and black honey.

Coffee Details

Variety: Geisha

Processing Mill: Otis Granite Processing Mill

Flavor: Floral tea, rose hip and green grape notes

Costa Rica's Miel processing, also known as honey processing, is distinctive. FrontStreet Coffee only recently obtained these Costa Rican red honey-processed beans, which prompted a closer look at the country's unique Miel method.

Introduction to Otis Granite Estate

Costa Rica's Otis Granite Processing Mill is a newer name in the country. The family cooperative was founded in 1994, but it was not until 2005 that the family established its own processing mill, which now has 17 years of history. The mill sits about 5 km north of San Marcos in Tarrazu and draws on ten coffee estates, among them Hacienda Yanò. Those estates are spread across hillsides at elevations from 1,500 to 2,000 meters, all classified as SHB (Strictly Hard Bean), the highest grade.

Product Information

Otis 2000m Estate Geisha - Golden Honey Processing

Flavor: The dry aroma shows delicate spring tea mixed with hints of orange peel and chocolate. Floral tea, rose hip and green grape emerge as the cup cools, revealing the juicy sweetness of lemon and peach. The aftertaste recalls orange chocolate.

Manufacturer: Coffee Workshop
Shelf Life: 90 days
Net Weight: 100 g
Packaging: Bulk coffee beans
Roast Level: Roasted coffee beans
Sugar Content: Sugar-free
Origin: Costa Rica
Roast Degree: Light roast

Additional Information

Costa Rica Tarrazu Honey Geisha

Country: Costa Rica

Grade: SHB

Region: Tarrazu

Roast Level: Light roast

Processing Method: Honey processing

The Honey Processing Method

Once the skin and pulp are removed, the beans are dried with their pectin still attached. What separates the different honey styles comes down to that remaining pectin: how much is left on the bean, how long drying takes and how drying is carried out.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Geisha and honey processing are a natural pairing, and FrontStreet Coffee carries several Geishas worth exploring alongside this Costa Rican lot. FrontStreet Coffee Emerald Estate Red Label Geisha comes from a single plot at 1,600-1,800 meters, with each lot cupped above 90 and given its own number, so you can follow a specific plot's character from harvest to harvest.

FrontStreet Coffee Emerald Estate Green Label Geisha blends several plots rather than chasing single-lot detail, which makes it a more affordable way into the estate's signature high-altitude Geisha profile. For a first taste of the famous Geisha character, FrontStreet Coffee Boquete Geisha is an entry-level estate coffee that delivers the classic Panamanian orange-honey profile, with an oolong tea texture and a delicate fruit acidity in the cup.

Geisha is a dense, medium-light roasted, floral-and-fruit variety that can sink and clog the dripper, so FrontStreet Coffee suggests a grind of about 78% passing a No. 20 standard sieve, roughly fine-sugar size, brewed at 91°C with 15 g of coffee, a Hario V60 and a 1:16 ratio. Pour 30 g to bloom for 30 seconds, build to 125 g, then finish at 225 g for a total brew time of about 2:10 to 2:20.