What is Las Lajas Black Soul? What are the Flavor Notes of Costa Rica's Black Soul Coffee?

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style)

Las Lajas Estate: Costa Rica's Premium Coffee Pioneer

Among the currently popular refined natural and honey processing methods in Costa Rica, Las Lajas Estate is one of the first estates to systematically research and implement these techniques. For many years, it has been a coffee estate beloved by global buyers. Las Lajas Estate is currently managed by third-generation owner Francisca Cubillo and her husband Oscar. The estate is located in the Central Valley region, not far from the capital, and very close to the Poas Volcano. Situated at an altitude between 1,250-1,500 meters, the estate produces approximately 55,200 kilograms annually.

Innovation in Coffee Processing

Years ago, owner Francisca had always 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 owner began researching and improving many equipment and facilities within the estate to better suit the needs of natural and honey processing. During the harvesting stage, the owner uses a BRIX meter to screen coffee cherries that meet standards, while also establishing their own washing station for coffee processing, finally placing them on African beds for subsequent sun drying.

Differentiated Honey Processing

Among the coffees processed at Las Lajas Estate, the owners have divided honey-processed and natural coffees into different grades based on flavor profiles. For honey processing, most Costa Rican farmers control the amount of retained pulp through the depulpers at washing stations. However, Las Lajas Estate decided to adopt another approach - retaining 100% of the pulp but controlling the drying time and turning frequency on African beds to present different coffee flavor expressions. In honey processing, the estate divides coffee into yellow honey, red honey, and black honey categories.

Black Soul

The harvested coffee cherries are placed on African beds in the early morning, turned regularly for sun drying throughout the day, then covered with plastic tarps for shade rest until reaching 11.5% moisture content. The entire process takes approximately three weeks.

Organic Certification and Sustainable Practices

Regarding fertilization materials at the estate, the owner strictly requires all processes to follow organic standards for cultivation and fertilization. The entire estate uses homemade organic compost, while extending organic standards to include soil quality, shade trees, and washing station procedures. After years of effort, Las Lajas Estate has now obtained organic certifications from Japan's JAS, America's USDA, and NOP.

The Perfect Coffee Experience

"Black as the devil, hot as hell, pure as an angel, sweet as love." This is the concise annotation on perfect coffee by Charles Maurice de Talleyrand, a diplomat during the French Revolution - sharp, shocking, and impressive.

Typical coffees might have deep body, light sweetness, or clean water-like clarity, but finding one that combines all three characteristics is truly rare in the market.

Costa Rica - Las Lajas (Black Soul) offers a heavy initial taste when sipped directly, yet becomes clean and refreshing after swallowing, with a honey-like aftertaste. While we may not know what kind of coffee that French gentleman was drinking when he made such praise, it was probably very similar to this cup of Black Soul!

FrontStreet Coffee suggests using a V60 dripper for brewing this coffee.

Hand Brew Technique Recommendations:

V60 dripper, medium-fine grind, water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, water temperature 89-91°C

Other Brewing Recommendations:

French Press: medium grind, water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, water temperature 89-91°C

Siphon: medium-fine grind, water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, water temperature 90-91°C

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473