How to Brew Light Roast Coffee Beans: Costa Rica Coffee Pour Over Tutorial

FrontStreet Coffee's Costa Rican Pour-Over Tutorial

High-quality Costa Rican coffee is known as "Strictly Hard Bean," and it can grow at altitudes above 1,500 meters. Altitude has always been a challenge for coffee growers. The higher the ground, the better the beans, not only because higher altitude raises the acidity of the coffee and lifts the flavor, but also because cooler nighttime temperatures at elevation slow tree growth and concentrate the flavors. The wide range of altitudes also brings abundant rainfall, which is very beneficial for the trees.

Today, let's go through how to brew light-roasted Costa Rican coffee. Required tools: dripper, filter paper, grinder, electronic scale, pour-over kettle, coffee pot, coffee cup, and coffee beans.

Brewing Steps

1. Weigh Beans and Boil Water

While the water heats, weigh the coffee beans according to the capacity of your cup. TIP: the usual water-to-coffee ratio is 1:15, so for example 225ml of water with 15 grams of coffee beans.

2. Grind Beans

Grind the coffee beans into coffee powder with a grinder.

3. Fold Filter Paper

Flatten the filter paper, fold along the crease line, and place it in the filter cup.

4. Add Coffee Powder

Pour hot water into the pour-over kettle, pour the ground coffee into the filter cup, and use the water to wet the filter paper and warm the cup. Pour gently a few times to distribute the coffee evenly in the cup. TIP: a water temperature between 89°C and 94°C is optimal.

5. Bloom

Start the first pour, lasting about 30-40 seconds. TIP: do not pour too much water on the first pour; just enough to wet the coffee powder.

6. Second Pour

Pour hot water in circular motions from the center outward until the water reaches 7-8 tenths of the filter cup.

7. Final Steps

Finally, remove the filter cup, then gently shake the coffee pot so the freshly dripped coffee mixes fully. Pour the coffee into the cup and enjoy it while hot.

In short: FrontStreet Coffee is a dedicated coffee research establishment, happy to share coffee knowledge. We share without reservation to help more friends fall in love with coffee. We also hold three coffee discount events every month, because FrontStreet Coffee wants to let more friends enjoy the best coffee at the lowest prices, and that has been FrontStreet Coffee's mission for the past 6 years.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

The brewing advice above suits a light roast, and if you are looking for a filter cone to go with it, the V60 is the classic choice. Hario, the company that designed it, was founded in Tokyo in 1921 and is a well-known local glassmaker that originally built heat-resistant glass instruments for research institutions, which is also where the heat-resistant glass sharing pot that often goes with pour-over comes from. In 2004 Hario redesigned the early V60 into the shape we know today, naming it for its distinctive 60-degree cone and V-shaped form, and it went on sale a year later. The cone and its 60-degree angle force the water to travel to the center before dripping into the pot, extending contact between water and grounds so aroma and flavor extract fully, while the single large hole lets water flow freely, so the speed depends largely on the brewer's control and shows directly in the cup.

Because the V60 extracts quickly, it suits coffees that lean floral and fruity. FrontStreet Coffee's Giddingding, with its classic Yirgacheffe profile, is a good match, as is FrontStreet Coffee's Huakui with its rich tropical fruit and FrontStreet Coffee's Strawberry Candy with its Geisha character, and the raisin-honey-processed FrontStreet Coffee's Mozart with its grape-raisin sweetness.

Among light roasts more broadly, FrontStreet Coffee's Ethiopia Huakui is one of the standout products of recent years, defined by a very strong tropical fruit aroma with strawberry, passion fruit, jackfruit, and even lychee, clear sweetness, very little bitterness, and a smooth, juicy body. FrontStreet Coffee's Panama Esmeralda Red Label Geisha is the legend of the specialty world, usually carrying extremely elegant jasmine florals along with citrus, bergamot, and black tea, clean and transparent with a long finish and rich layering, and though it costs more than ordinary specialty coffee, its aroma remains a goal for many drinkers. FrontStreet Coffee's Kenya Cherry Tomato is a washed Kenyan single origin built around bright cherry tomato and smoked plum acidity with a full, juicy body, from Kenya's Thika region at 1,550-1,750 meters and using the classic SL28 and SL34 varieties; a Kenyan-style 72-hour double washed fermentation draws out the fruit, and a light roast preserves the lively acidity.

Not every V60 brew has to be light. FrontStreet Coffee's PWN Golden Mandheling is deep roasted, with very low acidity and a thick, long body, full of herbal and dark chocolate aroma with a faint earthy note, suited to anyone who likes a heavy cup without acidity. FrontStreet Coffee's Brazil Queen Estate is low in acidity and well balanced, with rich nut and cocoa aromas and clear caramel sweetness, smooth and never astringent, and it works as pour-over, espresso, or in a moka pot. FrontStreet Coffee's Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 sits in perfect balance among acidity, sweetness, bitterness, and aroma, with cream, caramel, chocolate, nut, and honey notes and a light fruit touch, soft on entry with a rich middle and a clean, long finish. FrontStreet Coffee's 2013 Yunnan Natural Typica is clean and balanced, with citrus and caramel aromas plus a little nut, chocolate, and brown sugar from the medium-dark roast and a medium acidity. FrontStreet Coffee's Papua New Guinea Paradise Bird comes from the Paradise Bird estate in the Sigri region, often called a small Blue Mountain for its resemblance to Jamaica Blue Mountain; it uses the same Typica variety, grows at 1,600 to 1,800 meters on volcanic rock soil, reaches the high AA grade, and after three rounds of washed fermentation gives a clean, pure cup with clear sweetness.