Costa Rica Las Lajas Estate Red Honey Coffee Beans Pour-Over Guide & Flavor Characteristics

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Coffee from Costa Rica never fails to surprise, and FrontStreet Coffee believes this - what about you? The red honey processed coffee from Las Lajas Estate is one of FrontStreet Coffee's recent new offerings. The estate needs no introduction - it's a very famous estate in Costa Rica, where during each coffee production season, green coffee merchants from around the world visit the estate seeking cooperation to obtain the best coffee of the season. FrontStreet Coffee's red honey processed coffee has rich fruit sweetness and acidity, and as the temperature decreases, it also reveals sweet notes of dark chocolate and caramel.

Costa Rican Coffee

Costa Rica was the first country in Central America where coffee was introduced and cultivated. Located in the Central American isthmus, its volcanic soil is extremely fertile with good drainage, and the climate is suitable, thus producing high-quality coffee beans. All cultivated coffee beans are of the Arabica variety, appearing green and generally large in size, making their coffee quality basically superior. It's one of the country's valued coffee-growing regions. Costa Rican coffee generally tastes balanced and mild, with good fruit acidity, aromatic, and has a rich, thick texture.

Las Lajas Estate

Among the currently popular refined natural and honey processing methods in Costa Rica, Las Lajas Estate was one of the first estates to begin systematic research and processing. For many years, it has been a coffee estate favored by global buyers. Las Lajas Estate is currently operated jointly by the third-generation estate owner Francisca Cubillo and her husband Oscar. The estate is located in the Central Valley production area, not far from the capital, and quite close to Poas Volcano, with an altitude between 1,250-1,500 meters and an annual production of about 55,200 kilograms.

Years ago, the estate owner Francisca hoped to further enhance the flavor expression of the estate's coffee. At that time, the vast majority of coffee farmers in Costa Rica generally used traditional washed processing methods to supply the American and European markets. Therefore, the estate owner began researching and improving many equipment and facilities within the estate to better meet the needs of natural and honey processed coffee. During the harvesting stage, the estate owner uses a Brix meter to select coffee cherries that meet the standards, while building their own washing station for coffee processing, and finally placing them on African beds for subsequent sun drying.

Among the coffees processed at Las Lajas Estate, the estate owner divides honey processed and natural coffees into different products based on flavor expression. For honey processing, Costa Rican farmers mostly use the depulpers at washing stations to control the amount of retained pulp, but Las Lajas Estate decided to adopt another approach - retaining 100% of the pulp but controlling the drying and turning time on African beds to present different coffee flavor expressions. Las Lajas red honey processing involves removing the fruit skin and then uniformly placing the coffee on African beds in the morning for sun drying until noon when they are turned. The main flavors presented are mango, dried fruit, coffee cherry, and honey, with excellent sweetness.

FrontStreet Coffee Costa Rica Las Lajas Estate Red Honey

Region: Central Valley

Altitude: 1300-1500m

Processing Method: Red Honey Process

Grade: SHB

Variety: Caturra, Catuai

FrontStreet Coffee Costa Rica Las Lajas Estate Red Honey Roasting Curve

For this bean, we chose a relatively low bean entry temperature and used a fast roasting approach for this curve, setting the roast degree to medium to express the solid, viscous mouthfeel of honey processed coffee. At 155°C bean temperature, enter the drum with 120 heat and damper at 3. The temperature return point is 1'28". When the drum temperature reaches 140°C, open the damper to 4. At 8'30", ugly wrinkles and black spots appear on the bean surface, and the toast 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 9'08", first crack begins, open damper to 5, develop for 1'45" after first crack, and discharge at 196°C.

Agrton color value is 67.7 (above image), Agrton pink value is 70.4 (below image), Roast Delta value is 2.7.

FrontStreet Coffee Costa Rica Las Lajas Estate Red Honey Cupping

Flavor: When hot, it has chocolate and caramel. As temperature changes, it reveals nectarine and green grape acidity.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommended Brewing Method

Brewing Method: Pour Over

Dripper: Hario V60

Water Temperature: 90°C

Coffee-to-Water Ratio: 1:15

Grind Size: BG 6S (58% pass-through rate on Chinese standard 20-mesh sieve)

FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Technique

Segmented extraction: First segment, inject 30g of water and bloom for 40 seconds. Second segment, inject water to 126g. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue with the third segment injection to 225g. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, remove the filter cup. (Timing starts from the beginning of water injection and blooming) Extraction time is 2'06".

Flavor: Entry reveals yellow peach and grape acidity, with dark chocolate aroma. As temperature changes, the sweet and sour fruit flavors gradually emerge, with a faint yellow sugar aroma in the aftertaste.

Important Notice :

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FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473