Introduction to Costa Rica Tank Manor Coffee Growing Region - How to Brew Costa Rican Coffee

Costa Rica West Valley Monte Solis El Tanque Villa Sarchi Natural

Country: Costa Rica

Grade: SHB

Region: Central Valley

Roast Level: Medium Roast

Processing Method: Natural Processing

Variety: Villa Sarchi

Estate: El Tanque Estate

Flavor Notes: Lemon, Caramel, Nuts

Costa Rica's finest beans are known as "Strictly Hard Bean" (SHB), followed by Hard Bean (HB) and Semi-Hard Bean (SH) in descending quality — this is the country's grading system. Strictly Hard Beans are grown above 1,500 meters, and altitude has always stood for quality in coffee: the higher the elevation, the better the cup. A steep drop in elevation also brings abundant rainfall, which is a great boon for coffee trees; and the cool nights at high altitude slow the trees' growth, letting the cherries take in more nutrients and developing richer flavor.

Hand-pour brewing for Villa Sarchi: 15 g coffee, medium grind (4 on a Fuji ghost-tooth burr grinder), V60 dripper, water at 88-89°C. First pour 30 g water for a 27-second bloom, then pour to 105 g and pause. Wait until the water level drops halfway before continuing, pouring slowly to a total of 225 g. Avoid the tail of the brew. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:00.

Costa Rica's three most famous growing regions are Tarrazú, south of the capital San José, along with the Central Valley and Western Valley. Natural processing is a very traditional method that uses minimal resources, but because so many factors lie beyond the farmer's control, achieving excellent results is extremely difficult. Francesca introduced many innovations, such as using a Brix meter — common in the wine industry — to measure the sugar content of the fruit and decide the optimal harvest time and processing method; only cherries exceeding 20% sugar are chosen for natural processing. For reference, typical Brix values are 14 for apples, 12 for lemons and 18 for passion fruit, yet La Hajas's coffee cherries reach 21-22%. La Hajas produces natural and honey beans as well as washed beans. The farm grows Caturra, Catuai and Villa Sarchi, and has also brought in small amounts of Kenyan varieties such as SL28 and Obata.

Natural processing is quite labor-intensive. Hand-picked, high-sugar cherries are first laid on African raised beds to sun-dry for about 10 days, then moved into plastic-covered greenhouses that trap more direct heat for continued drying until the moisture content reaches 11.5%. This slow drying lets the green beans develop more natural sweetness from within, but it also demands closer attention and precise calculation of how often to turn them. When the bright red cherries finally turn black and give off aromas of fruit cake, caramel and even sherry, the process has been completed successfully.

Flavor Notes: Lemon, Caramel, Nuts

Mouthfeel: Excellent sweetness, gentle fruit acidity, rounded and full-bodied, with a persistent finish

Manufacturer: FrontStreet Coffee
Ingredients: House-roasted
Shelf Life: 90 days
Net Weight: 227 g
Packaging: Bulk coffee beans
Roast Level: Green/Brown - Roasted beans
Sugar Content: Sugar-free
Origin: Costa Rica
Roast Degree: Medium roast

Villa Sarchi

Villa Sarchi originated in Costa Rica and is a variant of Typica. Like Typica, its branches sit at a 60-degree angle to the trunk and its leaves are bronze-colored. It grows especially well at high altitude and stands up well to wind. It can also cope with poor soil and thrives better under shade trees. Its most striking flavor trait is excellent sweetness paired with wonderful acidity.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

This Costa Rica lot is a natural-process, medium-roast coffee with gentle fruit acidity and rounded sweetness — and a V60 is the perfect way to brew it. FrontStreet's hand-pour lineup pairs beautifully with the same approach. FrontStreet Yirgacheffe Gudingding is a classic starting point, with bright citrus, berry and floral notes and a green-tea-like finish; the acidity is soft and luminous rather than sharp. FrontStreet Ethiopia Huakui is a star of the specialty market, bursting with tropical strawberry, passion fruit, jackfruit and even lychee aroma, very sweet and almost free of bitterness, with a juicy, smooth body. For something truly refined, FrontStreet Panama Emerald Estate Red-Label Geisha offers elegant jasmine, citrus, bergamot and black-tea notes in a clean, transparent cup with a long, layered finish. If you enjoy bright, complex fruit acidity, FrontStreet Kenya Little Tomato — a washed lot from the Sika region at 1,550-1,750 meters, SL28 and SL34, 72-hour double washed fermentation, lightly roasted — delivers vivid cherry-tomato and smoked-plum notes, juicy body, yellow-sugar sweetness and a clean finish.