Introduction to Costa Rican Coffee Bean Grading System and Mozart Coffee Flavor Characteristics

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FrontStreet Coffee - Costa Rican Grading and Chocolate Flavor

Costa Rican coffee has long been regarded as a perfect classic profile. Balance, cleanliness and gentleness are its foundation, and it is known for an exceptionally balanced, clean and bright cup, with fruity acidity that carries berry notes.

Beyond that near-perfect classic character, it also shows lively citrus or berry-like acidity, while the aftertaste reveals a pronounced coffee-flower aroma, making it a quiet coffee full of Latin rural charm.

Costa Rica's grading system is quite simple: it is based on the altitude of the plantation. There are seven grades in total: 1. Strictly Hard Bean (SHB) - above 4,500 feet; 2. Hard Bean (HB) - 4,000-4,500 feet; 3. Semi Hard Bean (SH) - 3,500-4,000 feet; 4. Extra Prime Washed (EPW) - 3,000-3,500 feet; 5. Prime Washed (PW) - 2,500-3,000 feet; 6. Extra Good Washed (EGW) - 2,000-2,500 feet; 7. Good Washed (GW) - below 2,000 feet. Today, specialty coffee most often uses beans from the SHB, HB and SH grades.

Costa Rica produces less than 1% of the world's coffee, yet it enjoys a reputation for relatively high quality, even though yields tend to be low. Tarrazu is extremely famous in the specialty world, with a very balanced flavor and appropriate body richness that provides a solid platform for constantly experiencing the wonderful blend of nut, berry and chocolate aromas. Its rich fructose sweetness and long aftertaste stand out in particular.

Costa Rica Tarrazu Washed

Varieties: Caturra, Catuai

Grade: SHB

Processing Method: Washed

Growing Altitude: 1200-1650m

Flavor: Orange, green grapes, plum, milk, chocolate

SHB in Costa Rica refers to Strictly Hard Bean, grown above 1,500 meters. High altitude increases the acidity of the beans and slows the growth of the trees, which intensifies the flavor.

Knowledge Expansion: Beans from Costa Rica possess an unmatched charm, with rich, bright acidity and a pure, clear texture.

In Brief: FrontStreet Coffee is a coffee research house that enjoys sharing coffee knowledge with everyone. We hold nothing back, only to help more friends fall in love with coffee. Every month we hold three coffee discount events, because FrontStreet Coffee wants to offer the best coffee at the lowest prices to more people. That has also been FrontStreet Coffee's principle for six years.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If Costa Rica's clean, bright profile appeals to you, the FrontStreet Coffee Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Gedingding is a natural next step. Grown by a skilled washing station that has become known for its especially refined and clean cups, this washed Yirgacheffe shows jasmine florals and bright citrus acidity, and after a medium-light roast it adds green tea and honey notes. It works well as pour-over, cold brew or espresso.

For a bolder, more savory take on washed coffee, try the FrontStreet Coffee Kenya Cherry Tomato. Kenya's double-washed method - repeated soaking, washing and fermentation - pushes the fruit character to the extreme, giving a juicy, sweet-tart cup with cherry tomato, smoked plum, snow pear, black plum and brown sugar aromas.

And for a washed coffee built on pure balance, the FrontStreet Coffee Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 delivers the classic combination of hazelnut, cream, chocolate and caramel. Washed processing keeps the aroma concentrated and the cup even, with no single flavor dominating or missing.