Costa Rican Rock Manor Coffee Anaerobic Fermentation

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FrontStreet Coffee - Costa Rica Giant Stone Estate Anaerobic Fermentation

Costa Rica Giant Stone Estate Anaerobic Fermentation

Region: Brunca

Estate: Giant Stone Estate

Altitude: 1600M

Processing Method: Anaerobic Fermentation

Varieties: Caturra, Catuai

Grade: SHB

Costa Rica began cultivating coffee as early as two hundred years ago, with the first plantings on the slopes of the Poas and Barva volcanoes, which is what we now call the Central Valley.

Currently, Costa Rica has eight main producing regions: West Valley, Central Valley, Tarrazu, Tres Rios, Orosi, Brunca, Turrialba, and Guanacaste.

The Brunca region is an area in southern Costa Rica, composed of states such as Coto Brus, Buenos Aires, and Pérez Zeledón. Coffee cultivation began in Perez Zeledón at the end of the 19th century, making it one of Costa Rica's six socioeconomic regions. It features a variety of landscapes from the coast to inland mountains. The region borders Panama to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the south and west.

Giant Stone Estate is located in Brunca, southern Costa Rica. Due to its topography connecting to Panama, it has diverse microclimates. Near the estate, stone carvings created by indigenous people between 200 BC and 1500 AD have been unearthed, known as mysterious stone spheres, hence the estate's name "Giant Stone."

Anaerobic Fermentation

As a brand-new coffee processing method, anaerobic fermentation has various names. Many people call it "anaerobic fermentation," while others refer to it as "carbon dioxide maceration." Simply put, anaerobic fermentation is actually a fermentation method in a low-oxygen or oxygen-free environment, typically using a pressure-resistant stainless steel tank that allows control of temperature, time, pH values, and other data needed to control fermentation.

The anaerobic fermentation process originates from red wine production. This method involves injecting carbon dioxide into a sealed container to expel oxygen. In an oxygen-free environment, it slows down the decomposition speed of sugars in coffee mucilage, with pH values decreasing at a slower rate, extending fermentation time. This develops better sweetness and more balanced flavors, ultimately resulting in coffee beans with unique characteristics.

During the fermentation process, pH value is an important reference indicator. Temperature and pH value changes must be strictly controlled. When the sugars in the mucilage and slime are just completely consumed, the container should be immediately opened to stop fermentation, and the beans should be dried immediately under sunlight to avoid over-fermentation.

Fermentation in a sealed environment reduces uncontrollable factors from the external environment. Longer fermentation in an oxygen-free environment can increase rounded flavors, avoiding uncomfortable astringency and acetic acid.

Varieties

Caturra is a variety of Bourbon, discovered in Brazil in 1937. Both its productivity and disease resistance are better than Bourbon, and the plant is shorter, making harvesting convenient. It has strong adaptability, doesn't require shade trees, and is suitable for cultivation from low altitudes of 700 meters to high altitudes of 1700 meters. It has strong altitude adaptability, but higher altitudes yield better flavors with relatively reduced productivity.

Catuai is also an Arabica hybrid variety, a cross between Mundo Novo and Caturra. It has better resistance to natural disasters, particularly wind and rain. It inherits the advantage of Caturra's short plant height, addressing the shortcomings of Mundo Novo.

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