How is Costa Rican Coffee? Characteristics and Taste with Bright yet Gentle Acidity

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FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Costa Rican Coffee

The Republic of Costa Rica (Spanish: La República de Costa Rica), commonly referred to as "Costa Rica," is a presidential republic located in Latin America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south.

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 undergo meticulous processing, 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.

All coffee trees grown in Costa Rica are of the Arabica species. Through continuous improvement, the quality of coffee beans has become better and more stable. To facilitate harvesting, coffee trees are regularly pruned to maintain a height of about 2 meters. The coffee we consume comes from the seeds within the fruit, releasing their flavor when brewed with water.

After harvesting raw coffee beans, they must undergo pulping, removal of fruit flesh and parchment, and sun drying before the seeds (i.e., coffee beans) can be roasted. Some processes can be replaced by machines, significantly increasing coffee production speed. However, coffee harvesting cannot be mechanized—it must be done entirely by hand.

Costa Rican coffee beans are characterized by their full body, ideal acidity, and unique, intense aroma. Costa Rica's coffee industry was originally controlled by the Costa Rican Coffee Institute (Instituto del Café de Costa Rica, abbreviated ICAFE), but has now been taken over by the Coffee Office (Oficina del Café). Among exported coffees, those deemed unqualified are dyed with blue plant pigment before being returned for domestic sale. Coffee consumed domestically (whether dyed blue or undyed) accounts for approximately 10% of total production, with local per capita coffee consumption being twice that of Italy or the United States.

Knowledge Point

When coffee was first introduced to Central America for cultivation, Costa Rica was the very first country to receive it.

In Summary

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