Musician Series Coffee | Costa Rica Raisin Honey Process Chopin Coffee Flavor Characteristics

The Musician Series of Coffee

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The coffee in the Musician Series was extremely popular in 2018. So far, this series includes four varieties: Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, and Chopin. Today, FrontStreet Coffee will introduce the Chopin coffee bean from this Musician Series!

Costa Rica's Coffee Origins

Costa Rica began growing coffee as early as two hundred years ago, initially planted on the slopes of the Poas and Barva volcanoes, which is what we now call the Central Valley. Currently, Costa Rica has eight main producing regions: West Valley, Central Valley, Tarrazu, Tres Rios, Orosi, Brunca, Turrialba, and Guanacaste.

Tarrazu Region

Tarrazu is one of the main coffee producing areas here. The Tarrazu region has a certain history of coffee production and has received the favor and recognition of the British royal family, even being praised in the Pope's speech.

La Canet Estate

La Canet Estate is located in the highest altitude area of the Tarrazu region and is the most intensive fruit growing area in Costa Rica. La Canet Estate mainly grows passion fruit, with coffee being quite scarce. Only a specific area grows coffee, which receives special care. All coffee cherries are hand-picked, harvesting only mature red cherries. However, after harvesting and before processing, they undergo another screening step to sort out underripe or overripe beans again.

Raisin Honey Processing Method

This method preserves 100% of the mucilage and uses zero water processing. It increases the difficulty of the honey processing method, which requires strict control of time. On the day of harvesting coffee cherries, the harvested coffee fruits are poured into large water tanks. Mature, full fruits will sink to the bottom; underdeveloped or overripe fruits will float to the surface, and these floating beans must be removed. The selected coffee fruits are placed on raised beds to dry for at least three days, then the cherry skin is removed, preserving the mucilage before drying. At this stage, climate factors are key to the success of honey processing.

During the drying process, these coffee cherries must be constantly turned to ensure even drying, but the frequency of turning must be controlled. Slow drying ensures that the coffee has fermented properly, but not so slow as to cause over-fermentation.

Costa Rica Chopin

Variety: Caturra

Origin: Tarrazu

Estate: La Canet Estate

Altitude: 1,900 meters

Processing Method: Raisin Honey Process

Flavor Notes: Tieguanyin, Rose, Raisin

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