The Story and Legacy of Costa Rica Black Honey Catuai Tarazu Finca La Minita Specialty Coffee Beans

Costa Rican Coffee Excellence

Although Costa Rica has earned recognition from coffee connoisseurs through its honey-processed beans, this is inseparable from its superior geographical and climatic conditions and its exclusive cultivation of Arabica varieties. Costa Rica's premium beans are known as "Strictly Hard Bean" (SHB), followed by Hard Bean (HB) and Semi-Hard Bean (SH) in descending order of quality, which also serves as its grading system. Strictly Hard Bean grows at elevations above 1500 meters, and altitude has always stood for coffee quality: the higher the altitude, the better the quality. The high-altitude variation also creates abundant rainfall, which benefits coffee tree growth, while the low nighttime temperatures at altitude slow the trees and let the cherries absorb more nutrients, producing richer coffee flavors.

Black Honey Pour-Over Method

Hand-poured black honey: 15g of coffee, medium grind (using Fuji's ghost tooth blade grinder #4), V60 dripper, water temperature 88-89°C. First pour 30g of water, bloom for 27 seconds, then pour to 105g and stop. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to half before continuing to pour slowly until reaching 225g. Discard the tail end. Water-to-coffee ratio is 1:15, total extraction time 2:00.

Premier Growing Regions

Its three most famous growing regions are Tarrazú, located south of Costa Rica's capital San José, along with the Central Valley and Western Valley regions. Many excellent independent estates are distributed across them, all carefully cultivating more refined washed and honey-processed coffee beans. Let's look forward to more honey-processed coffee surprises from Costa Rica.

Honey Processing Methods

The honey processing methods we commonly see are yellow honey, red honey and black honey.

Yellow Honey

About 40% of the mucilage is removed; the drying method requires the most direct heat absorption, receiving maximum sunlight for drying, taking about 8 days to reach stable moisture content.

Red Honey

About 25% of the mucilage is removed; compared to Yellow Honey the drying time is longer, with reduced direct sun exposure, sometimes using shade nets, lasting about 12 days.

Black Honey

Almost no mucilage is removed; drying takes the longest time, at least 2 weeks, using coverings to avoid excessive sunlight, preventing too-rapid drying and allowing more thorough sugar conversion.

Flavor Profile

Flavor Notes: Preserved plum, honey, brown sugar, orange blossom, white chocolate

Mouthfeel: Excellent sweetness, gentle fruit acidity, round and full-bodied, persistent aftertaste

Farm Details

This batch of black honey processed coffee from Finca La Minita comes from Costa Rica's famous Tarrazú region. Although the development of specialty coffee started relatively late, Costa Rica's specialty coffee industry has grown rapidly. With the gentle fruit acidity, smooth mouthfeel and sweet, high-quality berry flavors of honey-processed coffee, it has become a force to be reckoned with. Black honey processing retains about 80% of the mucilage, and the most obvious difference is that from Yellow to Red to Black honey, each becomes progressively sweeter. Combined with richer fruit notes, it has deeply won the favor of coffee connoisseurs.

Product Information

Manufacturer: Cafe Workshop
Shelf Life: 90 days
Net Weight: 227g
Packaging: Bulk coffee beans
Roast Level: Roasted coffee beans
Sugar Content: Sugar-free
Origin: Costa Rica
Roast Degree: Medium roast

Coffee Specifications

Country: Costa Rica
Grade: SHB
Region: Tarrazú
Roast Level: Medium roast
Processing Method: Black honey process
Variety: Catuai
Estate: Finca La Minita
Flavor: Preserved plum, honey, brown sugar

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

For a clean, sweet introduction to Costa Rican honey processing, FrontStreet's Finca La Minita black honey is a natural starting point. It is a medium-roasted Catuai from the famous Tarrazú region, graded SHB, and processed as black honey that retains about 80% of the mucilage. The cup shows preserved plum, honey and brown sugar, lifted by orange blossom and white chocolate, with excellent sweetness, a gentle fruit acidity, a full body and a persistent aftertaste. Across the yellow, red and black honey grades, each step becomes progressively sweeter, and this black honey sits at the sweetest end.

Brew it as a pour-over with a V60, using 15g of coffee at a medium grind, roughly Fuji ghost tooth #4, and 88-89°C water. Pour 30g of water and let it bloom for 27 seconds, pour to 105g and stop, then wait until the water level in the bed drops to half and pour slowly to a total of 225g, discarding the tail end. A 1:15 ratio and a 2:00 extraction keep the sweetness clear and the acidity gentle.

To get the most from it, rest the beans a few days off the roast and grind just before brewing, since the honey process leaves plenty of sugar on the bean and rewards a steady, even pour. Whether you drink it black or want to explore how honey processing shifts from one origin to the next, it is an easy bean to come back to.