Costa Rica Sumava Estate Costa Rica Sumava Black Honey Process Coffee Introduction

FrontStreet Coffee - Costa Rica Sumava Estate Black Honey

Costa Rica was the first country in Central America to cultivate coffee, with a long history and a complete system running from production to sales. Situated on the Central American isthmus, Costa Rica enjoys natural advantages of sunshine and land. Its climate is moderated by both Pacific and Atlantic currents and sea breezes, producing coffee marked by distinct microclimates and terroir. Towering volcanoes within the country reach 2,000 meters, letting coffee cherries mature slowly in fertile volcanic ash soil and cool high-altitude air, which develops beans of complete, rich flavor. After years of development the country now has eight major producing regions, among which Tarrazú, Central Valley, and Western Valley are the three most renowned and highest quality.

Sumava Estate is a very young estate by Costa Rican standards. Francisco Mena, originally in the coffee trade business, acquired this land and preserved most of the original forest, developing only a small portion as coffee cultivation area in order to maintain the estate's natural ecological balance. Sumava sits in the Western Valley region near the city of Naranjo, at an altitude of roughly 1,670-1,790 meters. The cultivated varieties are Caturra and Catuai, both natural variants of Bourbon.

Processing Method

Black honey processing retains roughly 80% of the mucilage. The beans are laid on raised beds under shade structures and sun-dried for about 20 days. This limits direct sun exposure, lengthens the drying time, and demands more frequent turning of the beans — reducing moldy beans while allowing a more thorough conversion of sugars.

Green Bean Information

Region: Western Valley

Estate: Finca Sumava de Lourdes

Variety: Caturra

Altitude: 1,700 meters

Processing Method: Black honey

Soil: Volcanic geology

Harvest: December to March of the following year

Flavor Description: brown sugar, floral notes, citrus, pomelo, sweet spices; a sweet and rich mouthfeel

Caturra — Coffea arabica var. caturra — was first discovered in São Paulo state, Brazil in 1937, a natural mutant of Bourbon. It is now widely cultivated across Central and South American producing regions such as Brazil and Colombia.

Pour-over Reference

Using a Hario V60 dripper, dose 16g of coffee and bloom with 32g of water for 30 seconds. Extract at 89-90°C with a 1:15 ratio and a medium-fine grind (Komachi grinder at 3.5). Second pour to 110ml, pause until the water level drops, then pour again slowly and evenly, keeping the water level from rising too high. Final pour to 233ml, with a total extraction time of 2:15. Rich sun-dried sweetness throughout — fine-tune to your own taste.

Sumava Black Honey Flavor

The wet aroma offers sweet spices and a subtle fermented fragrance. On entry there is the sweet-tart brightness of citrus, blackberry, orange, and cherry; the middle note reveals almond and raisin, and the finish settles into caramel sweetness.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Honey processing began as an evolution of the Brazilian pulp-natural (semi-dried) method — FrontStreet Coffee's Cerrado lot is that style's classic expression, with its cream, peanut, nut, and chocolate profile — which Costa Rican producers then refined by varying how much mucilage stays on the bean, giving rise to black, red, yellow, and white honey grades. If Sumava's black honey appeals to you, the FrontStreet Costa Rica Blackberry pushes the concept further: with almost no mucilage removed and at least two weeks of shaded drying, its medium-light roast releases fresh floral aroma and flavors of grape, berries, and ripe blackberry. For the most demanding version of all, the FrontStreet Costa Rica Mozart uses raisin honey processing — 100% mucilage retained after three days of pre-drying — yielding osmanthus, pineapple, and raisin aromatics in pour over, cold brew, or moka pot. And if you want honey sweetness wrapped around Gesha elegance, the FrontStreet Strawberry Candy Gesha blend combines Panama Gesha with raisin-honey Costa Rica for jasmine tea tones, grape and blueberry fruit, soft acidity, and an almond finish.