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Costa Rican San Román Coffee Bean Characteristics & Brewing Methods

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Professional barista exchange - Follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style). Costa Rica's finest coffee appears to come from small processing mills scattered across major coffee growing regions, including Tarrazú and the Western Valley. This so-called coffee revolution originated 15 years ago, dramatically changing roasters' and importers' perspectives on Costa Rican coffee. Centered around processing mills,

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The best Costa Rican coffee apparently comes from small processing mills scattered throughout the main coffee-growing regions, including Tarrazu and the Western Valley. This so-called coffee revolution, which began 15 years ago, has dramatically changed how roasting experts and importers view Costa Rican coffee. Centered around processing mills that collect and process coffee beans from surrounding small farms—mostly small communities or family-run operations cultivating coffee on their own small plots of land—all this coffee is processed and dried by a single small processing mill. The quality and flavor of Royal Coffee are exceptionally unique, largely thanks to the cooperation between coffee producers and us.

Coffee cultivation in Costa Rica was introduced from Cuba in 1779, with the first coffee exports beginning in 1820. Currently, there are approximately 32,000 coffee farmers, with each farming an average area of less than one hectare (10,000㎡). Costa Rica has a population of 4.1 million (as of 2006), with coffee cultivation covering 82,500 hectares. The annual production is 1.7 million bags (60kg each), with domestic annual consumption of 380,000 bags. The average per capita annual consumption is 5.5kg, higher than Japan's (4kg) and significantly more than Taiwan's current average of just over 1kg.

FrontStreet Coffee Product Information

Manufacturer: FrontStreet Coffee Address: Yandun Road, Dongshankou, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou Contact: 020-38364473 Shelf Life: 30 days Net Weight: 227g Packaging: Bulk Taste: Mellow and aromatic Coffee Bean State: Roasted Sugar Content: Sugar-free Origin: Costa Rica Coffee Type: Costa Rican Coffee Roast Level: Medium Roast

Flavor Profile

Berry notes, caramel, cream, with subtle spices.

Brewing Method

Hand-poured Costa Rican San Roman. Use 15g of coffee, ground medium (using Fujiyama ghost tooth 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 halfway, then slowly pour until reaching 225g. Avoid the tail end. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:00.

Costa Rican Coffee Heritage

Costa Rica was the first country in Central America to cultivate coffee, with a long history and a complete system from production to sales. Located in the Central American isthmus with numerous volcanoes, the country enjoys natural advantages of sunshine and fertile land. The climate is tempered by Pacific and Atlantic ocean currents and sea breezes, producing coffee with unique local microclimate characteristics. In both quality and quantity, Costa Rican coffee has consistently received world recognition and is rated as one of the world's high-quality coffees. Coffee cultivation in Costa Rica has a two-hundred-year history, first 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.

Due to coffee cultivation, being a coffee farmer in Costa Rica is considered a relatively advanced profession. Coffee farmers hold a prestigious status in Costa Rica. In 1897, capital city residents witnessed the inauguration of the National Theater, donated by coffee tycoons. Coffee wealth brought stability to Costa Rica's politics, economy, and democracy—a rare phenomenon among Central American countries. Additionally, Costa Rica has laws that only allow the cultivation of Arabica coffee, making Robusta a "prohibited substance" within its borders—a world-first initiative.

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 grows newer coffee varieties such as Caturra, Catuai, and Mundo Novo, while ancient Bourbon and Typica varieties are less common. The country has also developed several local varieties, the most famous being the Bourbon mutation Villa Sarchi, an elegant-flavored variety that Brazil has also introduced and won awards with. Additionally, Costa Rican research institutions have worked tirelessly to improve the hybrid Catimor, attempting to reduce its Robusta heritage while enhancing its Arabica flavor characteristics. In recent years, it has been exported to Asia for trial cultivation.

The country's most famous large-growing region is Tarrazu, near the capital San Jose. The Tarrazu region has the highest average latitude and excellent climate and soil conditions, making it the most famous and widely recognized excellent coffee-producing region in Costa Rica. Tres Rios is a famous sub-region within the Tarrazu growing area. The most famous 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.

San Roman Processing Mill

San Roman Processing Mill primarily uses the washed processing method and is famous for producing coffee with intense, rich flavors and solid mouthfeel. Coffee cherries are hand-sorted, with farmers removing overripe or unripe cherries before processing. Using a 3-disc Aagaarde pulper to remove skin and pulp, the beans are then sorted by density into three grades. Grades 1 and 2 are fermented separately, while grade 3 consists of lower-quality beans. The green beans are fermented in a cool place for about 24-36 hours, then cleaned and sorted again by density in the washing channels. Finally, the beans are randomly soaked in clean water overnight. After processing and roasting, the bittersweet chocolate flavor reveals a creamy, substantial sweetness like toffee, blended with subtle wine-like acidity. The aroma is captivating, and the fruity sweetness of the chocolate beans is unforgettable.

Costa Rica's volcanic terrain provides fertile volcanic ash, mild and suitable temperatures, and stable, abundant rainfall—all factors contributing to coffee becoming 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.