Introduction to Costa Rica's Lluvia de Oro Estate - Costa Rican Coffee

About Lluvia de Oro Estate

Lluvia de Oro Estate sits roughly 45 kilometers east of Costa Rica's capital, San Jose.

The estate belongs to the Aquiares Estate and was established in 1918 by British immigrants from Jamaica. In 1971, three young university students from Nicaragua, El Salvador, and the United States decided to pool their resources and purchase the estate.

One of them, Mr. Alfonso Robelo, is still the general manager who directly oversees the estate's operations today. The property was named Lluvia de Oro after a type of orchid that thrives in the surrounding area. The variety produces beautiful golden-yellow flowers, and when it is in full bloom its delicate petals look like scattered golden rain. Lluvia de Oro translates literally as "Golden Rain."

Brewing Parameters Recommended by FrontStreet Coffee

Pour-over: V60 dripper, small Fuji R440 grind setting 3.5, water temperature around 90°C

French Press: Recommended grind setting 4, water temperature 90°C

Siphon: Recommended grind setting 4, water temperature 90°C-91°C

AeroPress: Recommended grind setting 3.5, water temperature 90°C

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

The French press suits this style of coffee particularly well because it is a full-immersion brewer with a metal filter. Water and grounds stay in direct contact, so the resulting cup carries more coffee oils and a heavier, fuller body. FrontStreet Coffee's Strawberry Candy is an especially good match: this Geisha blend pairs a Costa Rican honey-process coffee with a Panamanian washed Geisha, combining the finest flavor characteristics of Central America. Steeped in a French press it releases aromas of rose, citrus, grape, and dried blueberry, and takes on a strawberry soft-candy character when milk is added.

For a black coffee that is low in acidity with a full, oily body, the FrontStreet PWN Golden Mandheling is the first choice. One of Asia's best-known specialty coffees, it passes through three rounds of hand sorting plus one machine sort during production. The beans are uniform and translucent, and after a medium-dark roast they are large and packed with spice, caramel, cedar, and dark chocolate aroma.

Grind for the French press at a coarse-sugar setting: around 10.5 on an EK43s electric grinder or 26 clicks on a hand grinder, closer to small gravel than fine sand. Use a 1:15 ratio, about 15g of coffee to 225g of water, which gives a concentration in the 1.1-1.2% range. Brew with water at roughly 90°C, or 1-2°C above a normal pour-over temperature, and let the coffee steep for 4 minutes before pressing slowly to the bottom.