The Origin of Costa Rican Yellow Honey Coffee and Coffee Bean Grade Classification

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Costa Rica: The Cradle of Central American Coffee

Costa Rica was the first country in Central America where coffee was introduced for cultivation, boasting a long history and a comprehensive system from production to sales. Located in the Central American isthmus, the country features numerous volcanoes and possesses natural advantages of abundant sunshine and fertile land. The climate is harmoniously influenced by Pacific and Atlantic ocean currents and sea breezes, producing coffee with unique characteristics of local microclimate terroir. In terms of both quality and quantity, Costa Rican coffee has consistently received worldwide recognition and is rated as one of the world's high-quality coffees.

Ideal Growing Conditions

The fertile volcanic ash of Costa Rica's volcanic terrain, mild and suitable temperatures, and stable, abundant rainfall are all factors that have made coffee one of the country's main agricultural products. The seven major producing regions are: Tarrzu, Tres Rios, Orosi, Central Valley, West Valley, Turrialba, and Brunca.

Innovative Processing Methods

Costa Rica has a long history of coffee cultivation, but in the past decade, the more innovative "dry" processing method has become popular, collectively known as the "honey processing" new method. This technique utilizes pulp removers to adjust the degree of pulp removal, producing "honey sensation" that ranges from light to intense as the color progresses from light to deep (white, yellow-red-white, yellow-red-black), each with varying acidity, complex aromas, and rich body—each with its own merits and depth.

The Herbazu processing plant is located in the Naranjo producing region of the West Valley area, where it enjoys high recognition. In addition to having its own coffee plantation estate, it also processes and produces green beans for nearby estates and small coffee farmers.

Flavor Profile

Flavor notes: brown sugar, floral notes, almond, black tea, orange and sweet spice sensations, gentle acidity, syrupy mouthfeel, with an excellent finish.

Caturra: The High-Yield Bourbon Variant

Caturra is a single-gene variant of Bourbon, discovered in Brazil in 1937. Both its yield capacity and disease resistance are superior to Bourbon, and the plants are shorter, making harvesting more convenient. Unfortunately, like Bourbon, it faces the cyclical problem of yield fluctuations every two years. However, its strong adaptability means it doesn't require shade trees and can thrive directly under intense sunlight, earning it the name "Sun Coffee." It can adapt to high-density planting but requires more fertilization, increasing costs, so initial acceptance by coffee farmers was not high.

However, when coffee prices soared in the 1970s, farmers switched to Caturra to increase yields, achieving remarkable results with strong promotion by Brazilian and Colombian authorities. Farmers' acceptance of Caturra signaled a major transformation in cultivation techniques. Brazil and Colombia adopted high-yield, high-density sun-style planting. By 1990, one million hectares could harvest 14 million bags of coffee beans, increasing production capacity by 60%. No wonder the high-yield, high-quality Caturra has become the variety that various producing countries now rely on.

Brewing Recommendations

Hand-poured yellow honey processed coffee: 15g of grounds, medium grind (using Fuji burr grinder setting 4), V60 dripper, water temperature 88-89°C. First pour 30g of water for a 27-second bloom, then pour to 105g and stop. Wait until the water level drops to half before pouring again, slowly pouring until reaching 225g. Avoid the tail section. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:00.

Versatile Growing Conditions

Caturra is suitable for cultivation from low altitudes of 700 meters to high altitudes of 1700 meters, with strong altitude adaptability. The higher the altitude, the better the flavor, but yield capacity decreases relatively—this is the destiny of specialty beans. Some academics describe Caturra as the intensive, sun-exposed version of Bourbon, which is indeed a penetrating observation. There is also a yellow Caturra variant (Caturra Amarello) in Central and South America, but its reputation is not as good as that of Yellow Bourbon.

Roasting Characteristics

When lightly roasted, Caturra exhibits distinct acidic aromas and overall brightness. With proper processing, its sweetness can be expressed exceptionally well. However, compared to Bourbon, the coffee body is relatively lighter, and the cleanliness of the mouthfeel is somewhat lacking.

Typically, Caturra has red berries, but in extremely rare regions, there are yellow Caturra varieties. For example, Hawaii grows very small quantities of yellow Caturra.

Product Information

Manufacturer: Dazhen Coffee FrontStreet Coffee
Address: No. 10 Bao'an Front Street, Guangzhou
Manufacturer Contact: 020-38364473
Ingredients: Self-roasted
Shelf Life: 90 days
Net Weight: 227g
Packaging: Bulk coffee beans
Roast Level: Roasted coffee beans
Sugar Content: Sugar-free
Origin: Costa Rica
Coffee Type: Other
Roast Degree: Medium roast

Costa Rica Helsar De Zarcero

Country: Costa Rica
Grade: SHB
Region: West Valley
Roast Level: Medium roast
Processing Method: Yellow honey

Yellow Honey Processing

In the yellow honey processing method, approximately 40% of the mucilage is removed. The drying method requires the most direct heat absorption, receiving maximum sunlight exposure for drying, taking about 8 days to reach stable moisture content.

Classic Costa Rican Profile

Costa Rican coffee has always been considered a perfect example of classic flavor—balanced, clean, and mild are its foundation. This batch from the Helsar De Zarcero processing plant in the West Valley region is famous for its excellent natural geographical conditions and superior regional cultivation management techniques. It offers a nearly perfect classic flavor with lively citrus notes in acidity, blackberry fruit aromas, rich acidity and mouthfeel, melon-like sweetness with smooth texture, drupe fruit/subtle floral notes, and a finish with prominent coffee flower aromas. It's a coffee full of Latin rural charm.

Varieties: Caturra, Catuai
Processing Plant: Helsar De Zarcero Processing Plant
Flavor: Brown sugar, almond, black tea

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473