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A Highly Representative Specialty Coffee: Costa Rican Alma Negra!

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Coffee beans produced in the high-altitude regions of Costa Rica are world-renowned for being rich, mild in flavor, yet extremely acidic. The coffee beans here are carefully processed, which is why they achieve such high quality. Costa Rica is located south of the capital San José in the Tarrazú region, making it one of the country's most valued coffee-growing areas.

Las Lajas: A Pioneer in Organic and Alternative Processing

Costa Rica has eight coffee-producing regions, with three recognized as the best: Tarrazú, Central Valley, and Western Valley. Las Lajas is located in Sabanilla de Alajuela in the Central Valley region, at the foothills of the Poás Volcano. "Las Lajas" is the name of the Chacón family's processing plant. Their farms include Finca La Mirella and Finca San Luis, where this particular coffee is produced. Francisca and Oscar Chacón are the third-generation operators of the small Las Lajas coffee processing facility. The Chacón family has been in business for over 80 years since their grandfather's generation.

In 1995, Oscar's father passed away from cancer, and they suspected that chemical fertilizers and pesticides used on the farm were the culprit. From then on, they stopped using toxic chemicals and switched to natural, homemade compost, adopting environmentally friendly natural farming methods with shade-grown cultivation under native trees. After five years of organic cultivation, and only after soil, branches, leaves, and fruit analysis all met standards, Las Lajas became Costa Rica's first organically certified farm in 2000.

Innovation in Processing Methods

Las Lajas was also the first estate in Central America to begin honey processing and natural sun-drying methods. Sun-drying is a very traditional approach that uses minimal resources, but due to many uncontrollable factors, achieving excellent results is extremely difficult. Francisca introduced many innovations, such as using a Brix meter (commonly equipped in the wine industry) to measure the sugar content of the fruit. Based on Brix sugar content, she determines the optimal harvest time and processing method. Only cherries with sugar content exceeding 20% are selected for sun-drying. For reference, typical Brix values are: apples at 14, lemons at 12, passion fruit at 18, but Las Lajas coffee cherries can reach 21-22%. Las Lajas not only produces natural and honey-processed coffees but also washed coffees. The farm cultivates varieties including Caturra, Catuai, Villa Sarchi, and has also introduced small amounts of Kenyan varieties such as SL28 and Obata.

The Meticulous Natural Processing

Francisca's natural processing process is quite labor-intensive. Hand-picked high-sugar cherries are first placed on African raised beds to sun-dry for about 10 days, then moved to a greenhouse covered with plastic sheeting to create more direct heat and continue drying until the moisture content reaches 11.5%. This slow drying process allows the raw beans to develop more natural sweetness from within, but also requires more careful attention and precise calculation of turning frequency. By the end, the bright red cherries turn black, emitting aromas of fruit cake, brown sugar, and even sherry wine - a sign of successful completion.

Las Lajas offers two types of natural processing:

Perla Negra (Black Pearl): Natural process, dried on raised beds with regular turning

Alma Negra (Black Soul): Natural process, dried on raised beds with only a few turns per day

The Exceptional Alma Negra

Compared to Perla Negra, Alma Negra is turned less frequently, resulting in higher fermentation but also greater risk of failure. However, under Las Lajas' careful processing, this "Alma Negra" has become an exceptional example among natural processed coffees, with rich flavors, thick and rounded mouthfeel, and a long-lasting aftertaste. Comparing different processing methods from Las Lajas showcases distinct flavor profiles, offering special insights through comparative tasting.

Brewing Recommendations for Costa Rican Alma Negra

Pour-over Method

FrontStreet Coffee suggests hand-pour brewing:

Recommended brewing method: Pour-over

Dripper: Hario V60

Water temperature: 90°C

Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15

Grind size: BG 5R (58% pass-through rate on China standard #20 sieve)

Brewing technique: 32g of water for bloom, 32 seconds, then pour to 126g in stages. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 228g and stop. When the water level drops again and is about to expose the coffee bed, remove the dripper. (Timing starts from bloom) Total extraction time is 1 minute 50 seconds.

Flavor profile: The aroma reveals subtle fermented wine notes and almond fragrance. Upon entry, you'll notice sour notes of dark plum, citrus, and green apple. The mid-section brings out flavors of dark chocolate and nuts, while the finish carries light brown sugar sweetness. As the temperature drops, the entry presents tropical fruit-like sweetness and acidity, the mid-section shows cream and honey-like sweetness, and the aftertaste has a fruit tea sensation.

Syphon Method

Unlike the V60 dripper, the syphon method is primarily immersion-based, resulting in more balanced flavor and richer mouthfeel in the brewed coffee.

The main principle of coffee extraction using a syphon is achieved through pressure difference. First, heat the water in the lower chamber to boiling, then insert the upper chamber, creating a high-pressure state in the lower chamber. Due to the pressure difference between the lower and upper chambers, hot water rises to mix with the coffee grounds in the upper chamber for extraction. When the extraction process ends, remove the heat source from the lower chamber, causing the pressure difference between the chambers to instantly decrease. The siphon effect between the chambers prompts the coffee extract to flow back to the lower chamber.

Parameters & technique: Grind size: BG 5R (58% pass-through rate on China standard #20 sieve), Water temperature: 91°C, Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:13.

Using a post-addition method, wait until the water from the lower chamber has risen to the upper chamber, then add 20g of grounds and stir to ensure full contact between coffee and hot water. At 35 seconds, stir three times to increase extraction. At 55 seconds, remove the heat source and stir twice. The time for coffee liquid to return to the lower chamber is 1 minute 38 seconds.

Flavor profile: The aroma has clear fermented fruit notes. Upon entry, you'll experience citrus, blueberry, grapefruit, and raspberry flavors. The mid-section carries the sweetness of liqueur chocolate, while the aftertaste has genmaicha (brown rice tea) fragrance. As the temperature drops, the dark plum acidity becomes more pronounced, with a lasting brown sugar sweetness.

END

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