How to Properly Enjoy Costa Rica Black Honey Coffee & Bean Pricing

Honey Processing Methods

You will typically see three types of honey processing: Yellow Honey, Red Honey, and Black Honey.

Yellow Honey: about 40% of the mucilage is removed. Drying requires the most direct heat absorption-maximum sunlight-and takes approximately 8 days to reach stable moisture content.

Red Honey: about 25% of the mucilage is removed. Compared with Yellow Honey, drying takes longer with less direct sunlight, sometimes under shade nets-approximately 12 days.

Black Honey: almost no mucilage is removed, and drying takes the longest-at least 2 weeks-using coverings to avoid excessive sunlight and prevent the beans from drying too quickly, allowing more thorough sugar conversion.

Pour-over Brewing Method

Pour-over for Black Honey: 15g of coffee, medium grind (Fuji ghost-tooth burr grinder at #4), V60 dripper, water at 88-89°C. First pour 30g of water and bloom for 27 seconds, then pour to 105g and pause. Once the water level in the coffee bed drops to halfway, continue pouring slowly up to 225g, avoiding the tail section. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:00.

Costa Rican Coffee Excellence

Although Costa Rica has won over coffee connoisseurs with its honey-processed beans, that success is inseparable from the country's superior geography and climate-and its exclusive cultivation of Arabica varieties. Costa Rica's premium beans are graded "Strictly Hard Bean" (SHB), followed by Hard Bean (HB) and Semi-Hard Bean (SH) in descending order, which doubles as their grading system. Strictly Hard Bean grows above 1500 meters, and altitude has always stood for quality: the higher, the better. The significant altitude variations also bring abundant rainfall, which suits coffee trees perfectly. Meanwhile, cooler nights at altitude slow tree growth, so the cherries absorb more nutrients and the coffee develops richer flavors.

Flavor Profile

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

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

Farm Information

This Black Honey lot comes from the renowned La Florida Farm in Costa Rica's famous Tarrazú region. Although Costa Rica entered specialty coffee relatively late, its specialty industry has developed rapidly. With honey processing's gentle fruit acidity, smooth mouthfeel, and sweet, high-quality berry flavors, Costa Rica has become a force to be reckoned with. Black Honey retains about 80% of the mucilage, and the clearest distinction across the family is the progression of sweetness from Yellow, to Red, to Black Honey-paired with ever-richer fruit notes, it has won over connoisseurs everywhere.

Coffee Specifications

Country: Costa Rica
Grade: SHB
Region: Tarrazú
Roast level: Medium
Process: Black Honey
Variety: Catuai
Farm: La Florida Farm
Flavor: Preserved plum, honey, brown sugar

Catuai Variety

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

The Catuai tree is relatively short. Compared with other coffee trees, its fruit clings more firmly and is not easy to harvest. The fruits come in red and yellow forms; to date, no superior taste has been found in the yellows. In fact, some cuppers have found that while coffee from certain yellow fruits has good acidity, the cleanliness of the mouthfeel falls short of the reds.

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

Tarrazú Region

Costa Rica's most famous growing region is Tarrazú, near the capital San José. With the highest average elevation, excellent climate, and superb soil, Tarrazú is the country's most famous and generally acknowledged best major coffee region. Tres Rios is a famous sub-region within it, and the most celebrated Costa Rican single-estate coffee in the specialty world is the La Minita estate in Tarrazú, with an annual production of only 160,000 pounds.

The country's three most famous origins are Tarrazú, south of San José, plus the Central Valley and Western Valley regions. Scattered among them are many excellent independent estates, all dedicated to more refined washed and honey-processed coffees. Here's to more honey-processed surprises from Costa Rica.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Honey processing is Costa Rica's signature move, and FrontStreet Coffee's honey lots show the full spectrum. The yellow honey style strips about 40% of the mucilage and dries fast-about 8 days in maximum sunlight-yielding a cleaner, brighter cup, like the FrontStreet Costa Rica Helsar De Zarcero from the West Valley: lively citrus acidity, blackberry aromas, melon-like sweetness, and brown sugar, almond, and black tea notes.

This La Florida Black Honey is the richest end of that spectrum-retaining about 80% of the mucilage and drying at least two weeks under cover so the sugars convert fully. Expect preserved plum, honey, and brown sugar sweetness with orange blossom and white chocolate, a round, full body, and a persistent aftertaste; it suits drinkers who want honey sweetness without heavy acidity.

For brewing, either lot shines on a V60 at a medium grind size: 15g of coffee, 88-89°C water, 1:15 ratio, 30g bloom for 27 seconds, then staged pours up to 225g in about 2 minutes-exactly the recipe above. Freshly roasted beans and a steady pour will bring out the syrupy mouthfeel these Costa Rican honeys are famous for.