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Central American Coffee Bean Brands: Costa Rica Tarrazu's Rich Layers of Nutty Caramel Flavor

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Professional coffee knowledge exchange. For more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style). FrontStreet Coffee - Costa Rica Tarrazu Region Introduction: Costa Rica's flavors have always been well-balanced, lacking the sharpness of Guatemala, tasting quite gentle and smooth. The acidic aroma, sweet fragrance, and chocolate bitter notes coexist harmoniously, achieving extreme balance - a classic flavor of premium coffee.

FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Costa Rica Tarrazú Region

Coffee flavor from Costa Rica has always been well-balanced, lacking the sharpness of Guatemalan coffee and offering a rather gentle and smooth experience. The acidic aroma, sweet fragrance, and chocolate bitterness harmoniously coexist, creating an extremely balanced profile that represents the classic flavor of premium coffee. Costa Rica has seven major coffee-producing regions: Turrialba Valley (northeast of the capital San José), Central Valley (northwest of San José), West Valley (west of the capital), Tres Ríos (east of the capital), Brunca (southeast of the capital), Orosi (north of the capital), and Tarrazú (south of the capital). Among these, Central Valley, Tarrazú, and Tres Ríos are the most renowned.

The Tarrazú region accounts for approximately 35% of Costa Rica's total coffee production. Tarrazú is Costa Rica's most important and highest-quality specialty coffee region. Besides micro-lots, Tarrazú also produces large quantities of ultra-high-quality bulk coffee. Tarrazú is located in the picturesque Central Valley of Costa Rica. With distinct dry and rainy seasons, perfect soil composition and topography, and an altitude of approximately 1200-1800m, all these factors make this region a truly perfect cultivation area for Arabica varieties.

The name "Tarrazú" originates from the ancient Huetar indigenous people who once settled here. Typically, Costa Rica grades its green coffee beans according to both altitude and defect standards. By altitude, beans are classified as SHB (Strictly Hard Bean) and HB (Hard Bean); by defect rate, they are divided into EP (European Preparation) and USP (U.S. Preparation) standards, with EP requiring a lower defect rate than USP. This Costa Rican SHB EP represents high-grade bulk coffee from Costa Rica.

This coffee possesses rich layers and vibrant characteristics. It features an enticing aroma with subtle spice notes, explosive bright acidity, and a rich nutty foundation.

Costa Rica's most famous processing method is honey processing, a process where coffee beans are dried with their mucilage intact. After removing the outer pulp from the coffee beans, a layer of viscous gelatinous substance remains. Traditional washed processing removes this with water, but due to water resource limitations in some high-altitude areas, this direct drying method emerged.

Knowledge Point: The honey processing process is susceptible to contamination and mold damage, requiring careful supervision throughout, with constant turning to accelerate drying and avoid undesirable fermentation flavors.

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