Costa Rica Black Honey Caturra from Finca Laurina - Tarrazú: Grading, Price, Green Beans, and Roast Profile

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Flavor Profile

Preserved plum, honey, brown sugar, orange blossom, white chocolate

Taste Experience

Excellent sweetness, gentle fruit acidity, rounded and full-bodied, persistent aftertaste

About This Coffee

This batch features black honey processed coffee from La Minita Estate, located in Costa Rica's renowned Tarrazú region. Although Costa Rica started developing specialty coffee relatively late, its specialty coffee industry has grown rapidly. With honey processing that delivers gentle fruit acidity, smooth mouthfeel, and sweet, premium berry flavors, Costa Rica has become a significant force in the specialty coffee world. Black honey processing retains about 80% of the mucilage, with the main difference between yellow, red, and black honey being increasing levels of sweetness. Combined with rich fruit notes, these coffees are deeply loved by coffee connoisseurs.

Product Information

Manufacturer: Coffee Workshop
Address: No. 10 Bao'an Qian Street, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
Shelf Life: 90 days
Net Weight: 227g
Packaging: Bulk coffee beans
Processing: Roasted coffee beans
Sugar Content: Sugar-free
Origin: Costa Rica
Roast Level: Medium roast

Coffee Details

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

About Catuai Variety

Catuai is a coffee variety created through artificial hybridization of Caturra and Mundo Novo. Catuai demonstrates good resistance to natural disasters, particularly wind and rain.

Catuai trees are relatively low-growing. Compared to other coffee trees, Catuai fruits grow more firmly and are difficult to harvest. The fruits come in both red and yellow varieties. To date, no significant flavor difference has been found between yellow and red fruits. In fact, some cuppers have discovered that while coffee processed from yellow fruits may have good acidity, the cleanliness of the cup is often inferior to that of red fruits.

Catuai was cultivated in Brazil and is now widely grown throughout Central America.

Tarrazú Region

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

Brewing Instructions

Pour-over brewing for black honey processed coffee: Use 15g of coffee, medium grind (Fujimaruki conical burr grinder #4), V60 dripper, water temperature 88-89°C. First pour 30g of water for a 27-second bloom, then pour to 105g and pause. Wait until the water level drops to halfway, then slowly pour until reaching 225g total. Avoid the tail end. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:00.

Coffee Processing Methods

Costa Rica's three most famous growing regions are Tarrazú (located south of the capital San José), the Central Valley, and the Western Valley regions. Within these areas are many excellent independent estates, carefully cultivating both washed and honey-processed coffee beans. Let's look forward to more honey-processed coffee surprises from Costa Rica.

The honey processing methods we typically see include: yellow honey, red honey, and black honey.

Yellow Honey: About 40% of mucilage is removed; drying requires the most direct heat absorption, receiving maximum sunlight exposure for about 8 days until moisture content stabilizes.

Red Honey: About 25% of mucilage is removed; compared to yellow honey, drying time is longer with reduced direct sunlight exposure, sometimes using shade nets for 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 and prevent too-rapid drying, allowing for more complete sugar conversion.

Costa Rican Coffee Quality

Although Costa Rica has gained recognition from coffee connoisseurs through its honey-processed coffee beans, this success is inseparable from Costa Rica's superior geographical and climatic conditions, and the fact that all cultivated coffee varieties are Arabica. Costa Rica's premium coffee beans are called "Strictly Hard Beans" (SHB), followed by Hard Beans (HB) and Semi-Hard Beans (SH) in decreasing quality levels, which also serves as its grading system. Strictly Hard Beans grow at elevations above 1,500 meters, and altitude has always represented coffee quality - higher elevation means better quality. Additionally, the significant elevation drop creates abundant rainfall, which is very beneficial for coffee tree growth. Moreover, the lower temperatures at high elevations cause slower tree growth, allowing coffee cherries to absorb more nutrients, resulting in richer coffee flavors.

Important Notice :

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