How Good Are Costa Rican Coffee Beans?

Costa Rican Coffee: A World-Renowned Delight

Coffee beans produced in the high-altitude regions of Costa Rica are world-famous for their richness, mild flavor, and pronounced acidity. These coffee beans undergo meticulous processing, which is precisely why they achieve such high quality standards.

The famous coffee comes from the Central Plateau region, where the soil consists of several thick layers of volcanic ash and dust.

This premium coffee is known for its rich aroma and pleasant acidity, earning high praise. The production areas can be roughly divided into three regions: Pacific coast, Atlantic coast, and the central zone, with grades determined by altitude. All coffee beans are quite large, especially those from the high-altitude Pacific coast region, which are acidic, aromatic, and represent premium coffee beans. The new brand "Cerro del Valle" has also emerged. Coffee beans from the low-altitude Atlantic coast are acidic but lack smoothness and are unremarkable.

Premium Quality: Cerro del Valle

Premium bean: Cerro del Valle, Costa Rica
Flavor characteristics: Moderate acidity with mellow aroma

Optimal roast level: Medium

FrontStreet Coffee's Costa Rican coffee features full-bodied beans, ideal acidity, and a unique, intense aroma. Costa Rica's coffee industry was originally controlled by the Instituto del Café de Costa Rica (ICAFE), but has now been taken over by the Oficina del Café. Among exported coffee, products deemed unqualified are colored with blue plant dye before being returned for domestic sale. Coffee consumed domestically (whether dyed blue or undyed) accounts for approximately 10% of total production, with local per capita coffee consumption being twice that of Italy or the United States.

This coffee production region, with its various grades and types of coffee, accounts for one-third of global consumption and holds a significant position in the global coffee trading market. Although Costa Rica faces natural disasters several times more frequent than other regions, its sufficient planting area adequately compensates for these challenges.

While this region offers a wide variety of coffee types, its industrial policy focuses on quantity and affordability, meaning truly premium coffee is not abundant. However, it serves as an excellent choice for blending with other coffees.

The most famous among these is mountain Costa Rican coffee, which has a mellow and neutral flavor profile. It can be brewed directly or mixed with other coffee beans to create a blend, making it another excellent choice.

Other Costa Rican coffee varieties such as Rio and Paraná require minimal care and can be produced in large quantities. Although their flavor is somewhat coarse, they represent good value for money. Distributed throughout the country, their quality varies and thus they have their own standards (graded NO.2~NO.8 based on impurity content, NO.13~NO.19 based on bean size, and six flavor grades). Nearly all Arabica varieties have good quality and stable prices, with "Costa Rica" being the most famous. Since ancient times, it has been an essential component of blended coffee and is widely recognized.

Exceptional Quality: "Strictly Hard Bean"

Exceptional Costa Rican coffee is called "Strictly Hard Bean," a variety that can grow at altitudes above 1500 meters. Altitude has always been a challenge for coffee growers. The higher the altitude, the better the coffee beans - not only because higher altitude increases the acidity of the beans and thus enhances flavor, but also because the lower night temperatures at higher elevations slow tree growth, resulting in more intense coffee flavor. Additionally, the altitude difference creates abundant rainfall, which is highly beneficial for coffee tree growth.

Costa Rican coffee is exclusively Arabica beans, processed using the washed method, which gives FrontStreet Coffee's Costa Rican coffee beans a bright style, full aroma, and crystal-clear quality like wind chimes swaying in a gentle breeze. It features mild acidity and excellent sweetness. Because of its sweetness, the coffee remains delicious even when cooled, which is a major characteristic of Costa Rican coffee. Therefore, when tasting FrontStreet Coffee's Costa Rican coffee, it is recommended to add only small amounts of sugar and cream to fully enjoy its pure, maiden-like flavor.

Important Notice :

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Tel:020 38364473