Is Costa Rica Tank Manor Coffee Delicious? Costa Rican Coffee Brewing Methods

Villasarchi

Villasarchi is a Costa Rican variety descended from Typica. Like Typica, it forms a 60-degree angle between branches and trunk, with bronze-colored leaves. It grows especially well at high altitudes and resists wind strongly. It can survive in poor soils, though it thrives better under shade trees. Its most prominent flavor trait is excellent sweetness paired with pleasant acidity.

Costa Rica West Valley Monte Solis El Tanque Villa Sarchi Natural

Country: Costa Rica

Grade: SHB

Region: Central Valley

Roast Level: Medium roast

Processing: Natural

Variety: Villasarchi

Estate: El Tanque Estate

Flavor Notes: lime, caramel, nuts

Costa Rica's premium beans are graded "Strictly Hard Bean" (SHB), followed in descending order by Hard Bean (HB) and Semi-Hard Bean (SH) — effectively the country's grading system. SHB grows above 1,500 meters, and altitude has always stood for quality: the higher, the better. The steep elevation drops at altitude also bring ample rainfall, which suits coffee trees well, while cool nighttime temperatures slow growth and let the cherries accumulate more nutrients — and richer flavor.

Pour-Over Brewing Method

For pour-over Villasarchi: use 15 g of coffee, a medium grind (Fuji hand grinder at setting 4), a V60 dripper, and water at 88-89°C. Pour 30 g of water and bloom for 27 seconds. Pour to 105 g and stop; when the water level drops to halfway, continue pouring slowly to 225 g. Discard the tail end. Coffee-to-water ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:00.

Costa Rica's three most famous growing regions are Tarrazú, south of the capital San José, plus the Central Valley and Western Valley. Natural processing is a very traditional method that uses minimal resources — but with so many uncontrollable factors, excellent results are hard to achieve. Francesca introduced many innovations, such as using a Brix meter (a staple of the wine industry) to measure the fruit's sugar content and determine the optimal harvest time and processing method. Only cherries exceeding 20% sugar undergo natural processing. For reference, typical Brix values are: apples at 14, lemons at 12, passion fruit at 18 — but La Haza's coffee cherries can reach 21-22%. La Haza produces not only natural and honey-processed beans but washed ones too. The farm grows Caturra, Catuai, and Villasarchi, and has also introduced small amounts of the Kenyan variety SL28 and Obata, among others.

Natural processing is labor-intensive. Hand-picked high-sugar cherries are first laid out on African raised beds to sun-dry for about 10 days, then moved into a greenhouse covered with plastic sheeting, where trapped heat continues the drying until moisture content reaches 11.5%. The slow drying lets the green beans develop more natural sweetness from within, but demands careful attention and precisely calculated turning frequency. When the bright red cherries finally turn black and give off aromas of fruit cake, caramel, and even sherry wine, the process is complete.

Flavor Profile

Flavor: lime, caramel, nuts

Mouthfeel: excellent sweetness, gentle fruit acidity, round and full-bodied, with a persistent finish

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If El Tanque's natural shows you what sun-drying can do, FrontStreet Coffee's natural Red Cherry from Yirgacheffe takes the same idea to Ethiopia's high, dry plateau: only fully ripe cherries are laid out on raised beds — kept off the ground to avoid insects, dust, and bacteria — turned regularly to prevent uneven heating, and sun-dried for 27-30 days. Medium-light roasted, it keeps its elegant florals and bright acidity while adding distinct tropical fruit, a full fermentation character, and rich sweetness.

For the most celebrated natural of all, FrontStreet's Ethiopia Huakui (from Sidamo's exceptional terroir) is medium-light roasted to showcase florals, citrus, and mango, with honeyed sweetness, a cocoa and spice finish, a thick body, and a long aftertaste.