Costa Rica Batalatala Tarrazu Raisin Process Yellow Catuai with Raisin Flavor Notes

Costa Rica Raisin Processing - Yellow Catuai

The raisin honey processing method is quite innovative. According to FrontStreet Coffee's understanding of the current process, it involves double fermentation. First, coffee cherries are dried to a raisin-like state, then depulped for honey processing fermentation. This method results in more intense fermentation flavors and preserves more mucilage than other honey processing methods, claiming to be 100% mucilage honey processing with truly distinctive raisin flavors.

Tarrazu Region Characteristics

This region is the most intensive fruit cultivation area in Costa Rica, with estates primarily growing passion fruit and relatively small quantities of coffee. However, coffee beans from this region mostly adopt red honey, black honey, and yellow honey processing methods. The sweetness and berry aroma will absolutely amaze you, with excellent sweetness, consistency, and body, featuring dried banana-like mature fruit flavors.

Origin: Tarrazu

Altitude: 1980m

Variety: Yellow Catuai

Processing Method: After removing the coffee cherry skin, 60% of the sticky pulp is retained, then dried. Afterwards, the pulp layer and mucilage layer are removed before storage. During drying, frequent turning is required to prevent the pulp from sticking and causing mold, and drying must be completed quickly to avoid over-fermentation.

Flavor Profile

Floral and fruit aromas emerge, filling the entire palate with honey sweetness, caramel fragrance, jasmine floral notes, blackberry, and lime. This is an exceptionally sweet coffee with juicy texture and balanced acidity, possessing all the characteristics of Geisha. When cupped, it's like a bouquet of blooming flowers.

Costa Rica Coffee Overview

Costa Rica is located in the Central American isthmus at 10°N latitude, 84°W longitude, bordered by 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 altitudes of approximately 800-2000 meters, suitable for coffee cultivation. Costa Rican coffee has always been famous for its extremely balanced, clean, and bright flavor profile with berry-like fruit acidity. Excellent Costa Rican coffee finishes with spice and cocoa flavors. 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 Costa Rica's most famous and generally recognized as the finest coffee-producing region. Tres Rios is a famous sub-region within Tarrazu. The most renowned Costa Rican single-estate coffee in the specialty coffee world is La Minita from the Tarrazu region, with an annual production of only 160,000 pounds. Costa Rica's climate conditions are completely different, completely overturning the four-season classification. Here there are only two seasons: winter from April to December with high rainfall, and the dry season from late December to April of the following year, also called summer. The average annual temperature in the capital San José ranges from 15°C to 26°C; coastal areas have relatively higher temperatures, with the Caribbean region averaging 21°C at night and 30°C during the day.

Tarrazu Region

Coffee cultivation is considered a relatively high-level profession in Costa Rica. Coffee farmers hold a prestigious status in Costa Rican society. In 1897, capital city residents witnessed the inauguration of the National Theater, donated by coffee millionaires. Coffee wealth brought stability to Costa Rica's politics, economy, and democracy, a rarity among Central American countries. Additionally, Costa Rica has laws that only allow the cultivation of Arabica coffee, with Robusta being considered "contraband" within its borders - a world-first initiative.

Costa Rica's production is not large, with an annual output of about 110,000 tons, ranking seventh in Central and South America. The country focuses on newer coffee varieties such as Caturra, Catuai, and Mundo Novo, while ancient Bourbon and Typica are less common. Several local varieties have also been developed, the most famous being the Bourbon variation Villa Sarchi, known for its elegant flavor profile. Brazil has also introduced and cultivated this variety, which has won awards. Additionally, Costa Rican research institutions have worked tirelessly to improve the hybrid Catimor, attempting to reduce the Robusta heritage while enhancing Catimor's Arabica flavor characteristics, and have recently exported to Asian countries for trial cultivation.

Processing Methods

Costa Rica mostly uses washed processing, but in recent years, alternative semi-dry processing methods (Miel) or "Honey Coffee" have emerged, which can be translated as "sweet as honey" processing. Costa Rican coffees boasting "sweet as honey" processing are prominently marked with (Honey Coffee) on their burlap bags, quite eye-catching. This method improves Brazilian semi-dry processing to increase sweetness, with the key point being to preserve as much of the mucilage layer attached to the beans as possible. After depulping, the sticky beans are moved to outdoor raised beds, similar to Kenyan methods, to avoid absorbing earthy impurities and moisture, then sun-dried for about one to two weeks. During this period, the beans must be turned every hour for even drying, allowing the beans to fully absorb the fruit aroma and sugar essence from the thick mucilage layer. After dehydration, they are placed in wooden containers for maturation. This method is extremely labor-intensive, but the "honey-brewed" result tastes sweet as honey. The disadvantage is that this processing method carries high risks, as beans can easily mold and spoil when weather is too humid. Costa Rica is not particularly dry, yet dares to use long-duration sun exposure processing, which is nerve-wracking, but also reflects Costa Rica's masterful coffee craftsmanship and bold techniques.

Costa Rican Coffee Characteristics

Costa Rican coffee has always been well-balanced, lacking the sharpness of Guatemalan coffee, drinking quite smooth and gentle. Acidity, sweetness, and chocolate bitterness are harmoniously integrated and extremely balanced, representing the classic flavor profile of premium coffee. The seven major coffee-producing regions are: Turrialba Valley (northeast of the capital San José), Central Valley (northwest of San José), Western Valley (west of the capital), Tres Rios (east of the capital), Brunca (southeast of the capital), Orosi (north of the capital), and Tarrazu (south of the capital). Among these, Central Valley, Tarrazu, and Tres Rios are the most famous. In principle, coffee from slopes facing the Pacific Ocean is of better quality than those facing the Atlantic Ocean. In the 2007 Costa Rica Cupping Competition, the champion farm Cerro Palto was located in the Tarrazu region south of San José city, but Central Valley also performed well, with second to fourth places all coming from this region's Naranjo city. Tres Rios seemed to have been overlooked.

La Minita farm in the Tarrazu region has established its world-class reputation through meticulous, multi-level strict management, dominating European and American markets for over half a century, making it a world-renowned coffee estate. La Minita means "little gold mine" - before Spanish colonization, indigenous people often mined gold at the current farm location, making it truly blessed land. La Minita produces about 1 million pounds of coffee beans annually, but after selecting and removing defects (over 70% are eliminated), only 290,000 pounds of premium products are sold to the specialty market, truly living up to its reputation. The estate's coffee is known for apple and citrus acidity, rich milk and truffle notes, and silky refined texture, at altitudes of approximately 1200-1700 meters. Additionally, Tres Rios is also a famous region, located not far east of the capital, where the Irazú volcano and rivers create an excellent microclimate zone. However, in recent years, urban areas have gradually extended into the suburbs, with farmland being sold to developers, causing a sharp decline in Tres Rios coffee production. Most of the production has been secured by Starbucks, making it difficult for the industry to purchase. The region's renowned farm Aquiares has persisted since 1857 with a long history. Its bright fruit acidity is gentle and not sharp, with nuts, floral, and toffee sweetness that are charming characteristics of this region's coffee.

Costa Rica's coffee craftsmanship is extremely high, whether in breeding, cultivation, or post-processing (washed, semi-dry), serving as a model for other producing countries. However, the supply from famous regions cannot meet demand, and unscrupulous traders often mix beans from other secondary regions to pass as specialty beans. Regions hundreds of miles away from Tarrazu dare to use the Tarrazu name to muddy the waters, so caution is advised.

FrontStreet Coffee generally uses medium roasting for Costa Rican coffee to express the beans' moderate acidity and richness, producing coffee that exhibits large bean characteristics after roasting.

FrontStreet Coffee Roasting Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee's Shumava Black Honey processed coffee has high hardness. To allow it to fully develop its flavors while maintaining quality acidity, roasting can employ "acid-pulling" techniques - increase heat at the yellowing point to maintain a steep temperature curve for enhanced aroma and crack development. When first crack becomes dense, reduce heat for "sweetness enhancement" to develop sweetness, then turn off heat before dropping the beans for coasting to increase body and maturity.

Specific Roasting Profile

Yangjia 800N roaster, 550g green beans, specific operations:

Heat roaster to 200°C, damper setting 3. After 1 minute of turning, adjust heat to 160°C, damper unchanged. When roaster temperature reaches 160°C, adjust heat again to 135°C. Roast to 5'40", temperature 154.9°C, bean surface turns yellow, grassy aroma completely disappears, dehydration complete, damper unchanged.

At the 9th minute, ugly wrinkles and black spots appear on the bean surface, toast aroma clearly transitions to coffee aroma, which can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this point, listen carefully for the sound of first crack. At 9'21", first crack begins, reduce heat to 80°C, damper fully open to 5 (heat adjustment must be very careful, not so low as to stop cracking sounds). At 50°C, 193.4°C, drop beans.

Important Notice :

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