How Coffee Bean Grades SHB are Classified Costa Rican Coffee Bean Grading System Based on Altitude

FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Costa Rica's Grading System

The Republic of Costa Rica is a country in Latin America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south. It was the first country in the world to have no standing army, and its capital is San José. Costa Rica is the second-smallest country in Central America, lying between Nicaragua and Panama, and its name means "beautiful coast."

Costa Rica's exceptional natural environment - fertile volcanic ash, moderate and suitable temperatures, stable and abundant rainfall, sufficient daytime sunlight and significant day-night temperature differences - has made coffee one of the country's main agricultural products. It also produces coffee beans of many grades, from affordable commercial Arabica to Cup of Excellence (COE) competition lots and the exceptional Geisha variety. On top of that, there is an array of post-processing methods in white, yellow, red and black honey styles, offering a dazzling range of options.

As specialty coffee has evolved, however, the standards of large production regions can no longer satisfy the curiosity of drinkers who pursue quality. That is why more and more micro-regions and small-estate micro-lots have been discovered.

Grading System

Costa Rican coffee beans are graded by altitude.

SHB "Strictly Hard Bean": coffee grown at altitudes above 1,200 meters.

HB "Hard Bean": coffee grown at altitudes between 1,000 and 1,200 meters.

SH "Semi-Hard Bean": coffee grown at altitudes below 1,000 meters.

Altitude has always been a proxy for coffee quality, with higher altitude meaning better quality. High altitude also brings abundant rainfall, which benefits the growth of coffee trees. In addition, the low nighttime temperatures at altitude slow the trees' growth, allowing the cherries to absorb more nutrients and develop richer flavors. Although Costa Rica has won recognition from coffee connoisseurs through its honey-processed beans, that success is inseparable from its superior geographical and climatic conditions, and from the fact that every cultivated variety is Arabica.

Knowledge Point: In the late 18th century, Costa Rica became the first country in Central America to fully establish a coffee industry.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

To explore Geisha at its most refined, the highest grade on FrontStreet's list is the Esmeralda Red Label, formally "Esmeralda Special," grown at 1,600-1,800 meters. Each lot must cup above 90 points and carries its own lot number, with every lot coming from a single plot, so you can pick a batch that matches your preferred nuance. The Green Label, originally "Private Collection," is named for its green-branded label and blends several plots instead of stressing a single one, delivering the signature high-altitude Esmeralda Geisha profile at a friendlier price.

For a first taste of Geisha, FrontStreet's Boquete Geisha is an entry-level Panamanian option with classic orange-blossom and honeyed sweetness, an oolong tea body and finely separated fruit acidity. From Ethiopia, FrontStreet's Genlana Gesha comes from a mill at the border of the Kochere and Genlana Abaya districts, established in 2014 and run by Mr. Israel Degefa, where coffee covers 700 hectares. Naturally processed, it shows bright citrus acidity, elegant ginger-lily aroma, full ripe-fruit sweetness and a delicate, silky texture.

Geisha is best at a medium-light roast, and because it is dense it tends to sink and block the drain hole, so grind to about 78% passing a Chinese-standard No. 20 sieve, close to fine sugar, and brew at 91°C. Start with 15 g of coffee in a small Hario V60 at a 1:16 ratio and pour in three stages: bloom to 30 g for 30 seconds, a gentle circular pour to 125 g, wait for the bed to drop halfway, then continue to 225 g, finishing in about 2:10-2:20.