Costa Rica Tarrazu Region - SHB Washed Coffee Beans

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Costa Rica Tarrazu

Washed Process from Costa Rica's Tarrazu Region

01 | Region Introduction

Tarrazu in Costa Rica is one of the world's major coffee-producing regions, known for coffee with light, pure flavors and pleasant aromas. Costa Rica's volcanic soil is extremely fertile and well-drained. It was the first country in Central America to cultivate coffee and bananas for commercial value. Coffee and bananas are the country's main export commodities.

In 1729, coffee was introduced to Costa Rica from Cuba. Today, its coffee industry is one of the most well-organized in the world, with yields reaching up to 1,700 kilograms per hectare. Costa Rica has a population of only 3.5 million but more than 400 million coffee trees. Coffee exports account for 25% of the country's total export value. Costa Rica also benefits from the Central American Agricultural Research Institute (IAAC) located in Tarrazu, which is an important international research center.

Premium Costa Rican coffee is known as "Strictly Hard Beans" (SHB), which can grow at altitudes above 1,500 meters. Altitude has always been a challenge for coffee growers. The higher the altitude, the better the coffee beans. This is not only because higher altitudes increase the acidity of coffee beans, thereby enhancing flavor, but also because the lower night temperatures at higher elevations slow tree growth, resulting in more concentrated coffee bean flavors.

Additionally, the altitude variations create abundant rainfall, which is very beneficial for coffee tree growth. However, although there are many advantages to growing coffee at higher altitudes, the additional transportation costs must be considered, which could make coffee production unprofitable. Costa Rica's coffee industry has adopted new technologies to increase efficiency, including using "electric eyes" to select beans and identify irregularly sized coffee beans.

Tarrazu is located south of the country's capital, San José, and is one of the most valued coffee-growing regions in the country. "La Minita Tarrazu" coffee is a local specialty with limited production of approximately 72,600 kilograms annually. It is grown on land called "La Minita," owned by the British McAlpine family for the past three generations. In fact, this land can produce over 450 tons of coffee annually. However, La Minita Tarrazu coffee is cultivated without artificial fertilizers or pesticides, and its harvesting and selection are done entirely by hand to avoid damage to coffee beans that can be caused by air jet selection methods.

Other notable coffees include: Juan Vinas (PR), H. Tournon, Windmill (SHB), Monte Bello, and Santa Rosa. Premium coffee generally grows in Heredia and the Central Valley. Another remarkable coffee is Sarchi coffee (Sarchi is one of five towns representing Costa Rica's "Coffee Route"), which grows on the slopes of Poas Volcano, 53 kilometers from San José. The Sarchi company was founded in 1949 and has 30,770 hectares of land for growing sugarcane and coffee. This region is also famous for handicrafts, attracting tourists from around the world.

02 | Processing Method

03 | Green Bean Analysis

Premium Costa Rican coffee beans are called "Strictly Hard Beans" (SHB), with classification standards as follows:

Strictly Hard Beans (SHB): Altitude above 1,200 meters (3,900 feet)

Good Hard Beans (GHB): Altitude 1,200-1,000 meters (3,900-3,300 feet)

Medium Hard Beans (MHB): Altitude 1,000-500 meters (3,300-1,600 feet)

The green coffee beans are relatively small, with defect beans accounting for 2%. The surface has some honey residue, and the emerald green color represents fresh coffee grown slowly at high altitudes.

Green Bean Information:

Origin: Costa Rica

Region: Tarrazu

Varieties: Catuai, Caturra

Altitude: 1,500 meters

Grade: SHB

Processing: Washed

04 | Roasting Analysis

Hard bean coffee grows at relatively high altitudes, while coffee grown at lower altitudes is typically considered soft bean coffee. Higher altitudes and lower temperatures cause fruits to mature more slowly, forming harder, less porous coffee beans. By observing the center line of green coffee beans, the more open the center line, the lower the density of the coffee bean. If the coffee bean's center line is closed, its density will be higher.

FrontStreet Coffee suggests keeping detailed records before roasting, including coffee bean moisture content, density, origin, processing method, roasting room temperature and humidity, etc., and planning your roasting curve. Recording relevant chemical and physical changes during the roasting process will help you better understand the final roasting results and improve your roasting curve.

This coffee is of Catuai and Caturra varieties, washed processed, with high density, uniform bean size, and full-bodied beans (thick from bean core to surface). Roasting method: Extend the roasting time longer, so adjust the heat once dehydration is complete, open the damper to maximum at first crack, and develop for 2 minutes before dropping the beans.

Roasting Profile:

Preheat the roaster to 200°C, load beans with damper at 3. After 1 minute, reduce heat to 160°C, damper unchanged. At 5'35", temperature reaches 152°C, bean surface turns yellow, grassy aroma completely disappears, dehydration complete. Reduce heat to 130°C, damper to 4.

At 8'40", ugly wrinkles and black spots appear on the bean surface, toasted aroma clearly transforms into coffee aroma, which can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this point, listen carefully for the sound of first crack. At 9'00", first crack begins, reduce heat to 70°C, damper fully open (be very careful when reducing heat - don't reduce it so much that there's no cracking sound), and drop at 196.0°C.

Cupping Report:

Dry Aroma: Floral, creamy, citrus, lemon, sugarcane sweetness

Wet Aroma: Toffee sweetness, white grape, wild berries

Slurping: Plum, sweet orange, peach, grapefruit, juicy texture, natural sweetness, delicate mouthfeel, overall perfect and balanced.

04 | Brewing Analysis

Popular European and American Stirring Bloom Method

Suitable for light roast coffee beans

The European and American stirring method involves cross-stirring with a stir rod during the bloom phase. This is a branch of the three-stage pouring method and was developed after 2012 World Brewers Cup champion Matt Perger. This approach effectively enhances the release of aromatic substances from coffee beans, amplifies the flavor advantages of coffee beans, and enhances the coffee's mouthfeel without making it too thin.

As for brewing methods, pour-over and siphon are optimal.

V60 dripper, 15g coffee, water temperature 90°C, grind size 3.5

Water-to-coffee ratio close to 1:15

27g water for bloom, bloom time 28s

Pouring stages: 27-105-88, total time 1:50 (timing starts from bloom)

Important Notice :

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Tel:020 38364473