Costa Rica Tarrazú Coffee Bean Origin | Soft & Smooth Tarrazú Caturra Coffee

FrontStreet Coffee - Costa Rica Washed SHB

Costa Rica Washed SHB

Region: Costa Rica, Tarrazú region

Estate: Ruiz Estate

Altitude: 1500 meters

Variety: Caturra

Processing Method: Washed

Roast Level: Light to medium roast

Tarrazú green beans are blue-green in color and stand out for being extremely hard. The beans are plump but not large, with a fairly uniform size. The coffee is fully washed and the variety is Costa Rican Caturra. To highlight its refreshing, clean taste, we use a light-to-medium roast. Cupping the roasted coffee reveals a moderate body, smooth and palatable, with a slight fruity acidity on entry. It has a rich sugarcane flavor and an intense dry aroma reminiscent of osmanthus fragrance. The aroma softens after brewing, and the taste grows smoother as the temperature drops. This is a coffee made for summer drinking.

Costa Rica's climate overturns the usual four-season classification entirely. There are only two seasons here: April to December is winter, with more rainfall, and from late December to April of the following year is the dry season, also called summer. The capital, San José, has an average annual temperature ranging from 15°C to 26°C. Coastal areas run hotter, with the Caribbean region averaging 21°C at night and 30°C during the day. Thanks to the coffee industry, coffee farming is considered a relatively advanced profession in Costa Rica, and coffee farmers hold a respected status.

Costa Rican law permits the cultivation of Arabica only, with Robusta treated as "contraband" within its borders, a pioneering stance rarely seen anywhere in the world. Production is not large, at roughly 110,000 tons a year, ranking seventh in Central and South America. The country focuses on modern varieties such as Caturra, Catuai, and Mundo Novo, while older Bourbon and Typica are less common. Several varieties have also been developed domestically, the most famous being the Bourbon-derived Villa Sarchi, which belongs to the category of elegant-flavored varieties.

The Tarrazú region has the highest average latitude along with excellent climate and soil, making it the most famous and widely recognized as the best major coffee-producing region in Costa Rica. Tres Rios is a well-known small producing area within Tarrazú.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If you appreciate the clean, aromatic style of the fully washed process, FrontStreet Coffee's Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 is a benchmark. Jamaica's island climate brings shorter sunlight hours, so the washed method was developed to cut the risk of spoilage by removing skin, pulp, and mucilage before drying, producing bright, low-defect beans. The result is a rich aroma with pure hazelnut, cream, chocolate, and caramel notes and a balanced cup in which no single flavor dominates.

For a cooler, more floral expression of the same washed family, FrontStreet Coffee's Gutingding Cooperative shows maximum jasmine florality and bright citrus acidity, with green tea and honey notes after a light-to-medium roast that work beautifully as pour-over, cold brew, or espresso.