Coffee culture

Costa Rica Tarrazú San Román Washed Specialty Coffee Bean: Grading, Pricing, Green Beans, and Roast Level

Published: 2026-01-28 Author: FrontStreet Coffee
Last Updated: 2026/01/28, Professional barista communication: Please follow Cafe_Style (WeChat public account cafe_style). Costa Rica's production is not large, with an annual output of about 110,000 tons, ranking seventh in Central and South America. The country mainly focuses on recent coffee varieties such as Caturra, Catuai, and Mundo Novo, while the ancient Bourbon and Typica varieties are rare. Several local variants have also been developed, with the most famous being the Bourbon variant - Villa

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Costa Rica's production is not large, with an annual output of about 110,000 tons, ranking seventh in Central and South America. The country focuses on recent coffee varieties such as Caturra, Catuai, and Mundo Novo, while ancient Bourbon and Typica varieties are rare. Several local variants have also been developed, the most famous being the Bourbon variant Villalobos, known for its elegant flavor profile. Brazil has also introduced and cultivated it, and it has won awards. Additionally, Costa Rican research institutions have relentlessly worked on improving the hybrid Catimor, attempting to reduce the Robusta bean lineage while enhancing Catimor's Arabica flavor characteristics. In recent years, it has been exported to Asia for trial cultivation.

The country's most famous growing region is Tarrazu, near the capital San José. The Tarrazu region has the highest average latitude and excellent climate and soil conditions, making it the most renowned and widely recognized premium coffee-producing region in Costa Rica. Tres Rios is a famous sub-region within the Tarrazu area. The most renowned Costa Rican single-estate coffee in the specialty coffee world is La Minita estate in the Tarrazu region, with an annual production of only 160,000 pounds.

Hand-poured Costa Rican San Roman. 15g of coffee, medium grind (Fuji Royal grinder with ghost teeth, setting 4), V60 dripper, water temperature 88-89°C. First pour with 30g of water for a 27-second bloom, then pour to 105g and pause. Wait until the water level drops to halfway, then continue pouring slowly until reaching 225g. Avoid the tail section. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:00.

San Roman Processing Plant primarily uses the washed processing method and is renowned for producing intense, rich, and full-bodied coffee. Coffee cherries are hand-sorted, with farmers removing overripe or unripe cherries before processing. A 3-disc Aagaarde pulper is used to remove skin and pulp, then machines sort the beans by density into three grades. Grade 1 and 2 green beans are fermented separately, while Grade 3 consists of lower-quality beans. The green beans ferment in a cool place for about 24-36 hours. After fermentation, the beans are washed and sorted again by density in the washing channels, then randomly soaked in clean water overnight. After processing and roasting, the bittersweet chocolate flavor combines with a creamy, thick sweetness reminiscent of toffee, blending with subtle wine-like acidity. The aromatic quality and the fruit-like sweetness of chocolate beans create an unforgettable experience.

Costa Rica's volcanic terrain provides fertile volcanic ash, mild and suitable temperatures, and stable, abundant rainfall—all factors contributing to coffee being one of the country's main agricultural products. The seven major growing regions are: Tarrazu, Tres Rios, Orosi, Central Valley, West Valley, Turrialba, and Brunca.

Costa Rica San Roman Processing Plant Royal Coffee

Country: Costa Rica

Grade: SHB

Altitude: 1700M

Region: Tarrazu Region

Roast Level: Medium-Dark Roast

Processing Method: Washed Process

Varieties: Caturra, Catuai

Processing Plant: San Roman Processing Plant

Flavor Profile: Berry aroma, caramel, cream, subtle spices

The best Costa Rican coffees seem to come from small processing plants scattered throughout the main coffee-growing regions, including Tarrazu and West Valley. This so-called coffee revolution began 15 years ago, dramatically changing how roasters and importers view Costa Rican coffee. Centered around processing plants that collect coffee beans from surrounding small farms, these farms are typically small communities or family operations growing coffee on their own small plots of land. All this coffee is processed and dried by a single small processing plant. The quality and flavor of Royal Coffee are quite distinctive, largely thanks to the cooperation between coffee producers and our company.

Coffee cultivation in Costa Rica was introduced from Cuba in 1779, with the first coffee exports beginning in 1820. Currently, there are about 32,000 coffee farmers, with an average cultivation area of less than one hectare (10,000㎡) per farmer. Costa Rica's population is 4.1 million (2006), with coffee cultivation covering 82,500 hectares. Annual production reaches 1.7 million bags (60kg per bag), with domestic annual consumption of 380,000 bags. The average per capita annual consumption is 5.5kg, higher than Japan's consumption (4kg), while Taiwan's average is only slightly above 1kg.

Costa Rica was the first country in Central America to introduce coffee cultivation, with a long history and a complete system from production to sales. Located in the Central American isthmus, the country has numerous volcanoes and enjoys natural advantages of sunshine and soil. The climate is moderated by Pacific and Atlantic ocean currents and sea breezes, producing coffee with characteristics unique to local microclimate and terroir. In terms of both quality and quantity, Costa Rican coffee has consistently received global recognition and is rated as one of the world's high-quality coffees. Costa Rican coffee cultivation has a two-hundred-year history, originally planted on the slopes of Poas and Barva volcanoes in what is now called the Central Valley region. The seven main coffee-growing regions are distributed from northwest to southeast along the inland central plateau.

Manufacturer: FrontStreet Coffee

Address: Yandun Road, Dongshankou, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou

Contact: 020-38364473

Shelf Life: 30 days

Net Weight: 227g

Packaging: Bulk

Taste: Aromatic and mellow

Bean State: Roasted coffee beans

Sugar Content: Sugar-free

Origin: Costa Rica

Coffee Type: Costa Rican coffee

Roast Level: Medium roast

Flavor Description: Berry aroma, caramel, cream, subtle spices.

Coffee cultivation is considered a relatively high-status profession in Costa Rica. Coffee farmers hold a respected position in Costa Rican society. In 1897, citizens of the capital witnessed the inauguration of the National Theater, donated by coffee wealth. Coffee wealth brought stability to Costa Rica's politics, economy, and democracy—a rarity among Central American countries. Additionally, Costa Rica has laws that only permit Arabica cultivation, making Robusta a "prohibited substance" within its borders—a unique initiative in the world.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473

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