Flavor Characteristics, Origin Regions, and Brewing Parameters for Costa Rica Black Honey Catuai La Tarrazú Finca La Miel

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Honey Processing Methods

The honey processing methods we commonly see include: Yellow Honey, Red Honey, and Black Honey.

Yellow Honey

Approximately 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

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

Black Honey

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

Costa Rican Coffee Excellence

Although Costa Rica has gained recognition from coffee connoisseurs through honey-processed coffee beans, this 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 Bean" (SHB), followed by Hard Bean (HB) and Semi-Hard Bean (SH) with progressively decreasing quality, which also serves as their grading system. Strictly Hard Beans grow at elevations above 1500 meters, and altitude has always represented the quality of coffee - higher altitude means better quality. Additionally, the rainfall at high altitudes is very beneficial for coffee tree growth; moreover, the low nighttime temperatures at high elevations slow down tree growth, allowing coffee cherries to absorb more nutrients, resulting in richer coffee flavors.

Flavor Profile and Characteristics

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

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

This batch of Black Honey processed coffee from the Fara Mia Estate originates from the famous Tarrazú region of Costa Rica. Although the development of specialty coffee started relatively late, Costa Rica's specialty coffee development has been rapid. With the gentle fruit acidity, smooth mouthfeel, and sweet, high-quality berry flavors of honey processing, it has become truly impressive. Black Honey retains about 80% of the mucilage pulp, and their most obvious distinction is that from Yellow to Red to Black honey, each becomes progressively sweeter. Combined with richer fruit notes, they are deeply loved by coffee connoisseurs.

Product Information

Manufacturer: Coffee Workshop
Address: No. 10 Bao'an Front Street, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
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 Details

Country: Costa Rica
Grade: SHB
Region: Tarrazú
Roast Level: Medium roast
Processing Method: Black Honey processing
Variety: Catuai
Estate: Fara Mia Estate
Flavor: Preserved plum, honey, brown sugar

Catuai Variety

Catuai is a coffee variety artificially hybridized from Caturra and Mundo Novo. Catuai has good resistance to natural disasters, particularly wind and rain.

The Catuai tree is relatively short. Compared to other coffee trees, Catuai's fruits grow more firmly and are not easy to harvest. The fruits come in both red and yellow varieties. To date, no superior taste has been found in yellow fruits compared to red ones. In fact, some people have found in cupping that although coffee processed from some yellow fruits has good acidity, the cleanliness of the coffee's mouthfeel is inferior to that of red fruits.

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

Tarrazú Region

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

Brewing Recommendations

Pour-over brewing for Black Honey: 15g of coffee, medium grind (Fuji grinder setting 4), V60 dripper, water temperature 88-89°C. First pour 30g of water for 27 seconds bloom, then pour to 105g and pause. Wait until the water level drops to half, then slowly pour until reaching 225g. Avoid the tail section. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:00.

Costa Rican Coffee Regions

Its three most famous origins are Tarrazú, located south of Costa Rica's capital San José, as well as the Central Valley and Western Valley regions. Among these are distributed many excellent independent estates, all carefully cultivating more refined washed and honey-processed coffee beans. Let us look forward to more honey-processed coffee surprises from Costa Rica.

Important Notice :

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