How Costa Rica Honey-Processed Geisha Coffee Originates and Geisha Coffee Bean Grading System

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Costa Rica is located in the Central American isthmus at 10°N latitude, 84°W longitude. It borders the Caribbean Sea to the east and the North Pacific Ocean to the west. Costa Rica is situated on the low-latitude volcanic belt of Central America, with the Central Plateau and mountainous regions at elevations of approximately 800-2000 meters, making it ideal for coffee cultivation. Costa Rican coffee has always been renowned for its extremely balanced, clean, and bright flavor profile with berry-like fruit acidity. Exceptional Costa Rican coffee exhibits spice and cocoa flavors in its aftertaste. 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 famous and widely recognized premier coffee-producing region in Costa Rica. Tres Rios is a renowned sub-region within the Tarrazu growing area. The most famous Costa Rican single-estate coffee in the specialty coffee world is La Minita estate from the Tarrazu region, with an annual production of only 160,000 pounds.

Costa Rica Tarrazzu Honey Geisha

Country: Costa Rica

Grade: SHB

Region: Tarrazu

Roast Level: Light Roast

Processing Method: Honey Process

Honey Process Processing Method:

After removing the pulp and skin, coffee beans with mucilage are dried. The key to distinguishing different honey processes lies in this remaining mucilage: the proportion of mucilage retained, drying time, and drying method.

Characteristics of Honey Processing:

Coffee cherries are tested for sugar content during harvesting, with only cherries measuring 21-22% sugar content being selected. Unlike other processing methods, honey processing requires drying on AFRICAN BEDS (drying beds). If dried directly on concrete or soil, the coffee beans are easily scratched during turning, leading to bacterial infection. Direct sun-drying on soil can also impart earthy flavors to the coffee beans.

Flavor Differences Between Honey and Washed Processing:

Higher sweetness than washed processing, higher sugar content, and relatively fuller body (under the same roast level).

Honey-processed beans require good ventilation during drying, otherwise the retained mucilage can easily ferment or mold, causing off-flavors.

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

Variety: Geisha

Processing Mill: Otis Granite Processing Mill

Flavor: Floral tea, rosehip, green grape flavors

Costa Rica's Honey processing method (also known as Honey Process) is unique. It was only after recently obtaining these Costa Rican red honey-processed beans that Old Li came to understand the unique methods of Costa Rica's Honey processing.

Pour-over Yellow Honey Recipe:

15g of coffee, medium-fine grind (Fujiyama ghost tooth burr grinder setting 3.5), V60 dripper, water temperature 91-93°C. First pour 30g of water, let bloom for 27 seconds. Pour to 105g and pause. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to halfway, then continue pouring slowly until reaching 225g. Avoid the tail section. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:00.

Otis Granite Estate Introduction

Otis Granite Processing Mill is an emerging Costa Rican estate. The family cooperative was established in 1994, but it wasn't until 2005 that they created their own processing mill, which now has 17 years of history. Otis Granite Processing Mill is located about 5km north of San Marcos town in the Tarrazu region, overseeing ten coffee estates including Yano Estate, distributed on mountain slopes at elevations of 1500-2000 meters, all classified as SHB (Strictly Hard Bean), the highest grade.

Otis 2000m Estate Geisha - Golden Honey Process

Flavor: Dry aroma features delicate spring tea fragrance mixed with hints of orange peel and chocolate notes. Floral tea, rosehip, and green grape flavors gradually emerge with temperature changes, revealing the juicy sweetness of lemon and peach. The aftertaste is orange peel chocolate.

Factory Name: Coffee Workshop
Factory Address: No. 10, Bao'an Front Street, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
Factory Contact: 020-38364473
Shelf Life: 90 days
Net Weight: 100g
Packaging: Bulk coffee beans
Ripe Level: Roasted coffee beans
Sugar Content: Sugar-free
Origin: Costa Rica
Roast Level: Light roast

When it comes to Geisha variety coffee beans, many people are captivated by their wonderful floral aroma and rich fruit acidity. In 2015, there was even a surge of Panama Geisha fervor, leading many to mistakenly believe that Geisha is a coffee variety exclusive to Panama. However, this is not the case. The Geisha variety was first discovered in Ethiopia in 1931 and later, through a series of transplantation and cultivation, found its way to other countries and regions.

Compared to Panama Geisha, Costa Rican Geisha has more body and richness. If Panama Geisha is like a fresh and lively style, then Costa Rican Geisha belongs to a more restrained and composed style.

Important Notice :

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