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Costa Rica Fire Phoenix Estate - Zahiro Natural Process

Region: Central Valley

Estate: Fire Phoenix Estate

Altitude: 1600m

Variety: Caturra, Catuai

Grade: SHB

Processing Method: Natural

Region Introduction

Costa Rica is located in the Central American isthmus, regulated by Pacific and Atlantic ocean currents and sea breezes that affect the climate. The country has many towering volcanoes reaching 2000 meters in altitude, with fertile volcanic ash, mild and suitable temperatures, and stable, abundant rainfall - all factors that make coffee one of Costa Rica's main agricultural products. Coffee cherries can slowly grow in the fertile volcanic ash soil and high-altitude cool environment, cultivating coffee beans with complete and rich flavors. The coffee beans produced in Costa Rica's high-latitude regions are world-renowned, being rich, mild in flavor but extremely acidic. The coffee beans here are carefully processed, which is why they achieve high quality.

Central Valley

The Central Valley region is also the earliest area in Costa Rica where coffee was cultivated, before the country's coffee industry developed to other regions. With moderate rainfall of 118 inches annually and an average temperature of only 19°C, combined with high altitude, the beans are hard, aromatic, smooth, highly acidic, full-bodied, and richly fragrant. This region's coffee is Costa Rica's earliest coffee cultivation area, with rich volcanic soil that sometimes carries chocolate aromas.

Estate Introduction

Fire Phoenix Estate is located in the hilly terrain of Poas Volcano in Costa Rica's Central Valley. It was one of the earliest producers in Central and South America to implement honey and natural processing methods for coffee, and it is an organically grown coffee estate. The estate owner believes that organic farming practices are better choices for environmental protection and the health of family members, and despite facing many technical and organizational challenges, they still adhere to this belief.

In 2009, they gained fame when participating in the specialty coffee competition. During the harvest season, they use a Brix meter, often equipped in the wine industry, to measure the sugar content of the fruit. They determine the optimal harvest time and processing method based on Brix sugar content - only beans with over 20% sweetness undergo natural processing. For reference, typical fruit Brix values are: apples at 14, lemons at 12, passion fruit at 18, but Fire Phoenix's coffee cherries can reach 21-22%.

The estate places great emphasis on environmentally friendly processing concepts (such as collecting rainwater to process coffee) and uses vermicomposting (worm composting) for organic fertilizer production, making the cultivation process completely free of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The natural processing of Zahiro is quite labor-intensive. The hand-picked high-sugar cherries must first be placed on African raised beds to dry in the sun for about 10 days, then moved to a greenhouse covered with plastic sheets to create more direct heat, continuing to dry until the moisture content reaches 11.5%. This slow drying process allows the green beans to develop more natural sweetness from within, but it also requires more careful attention and constant turning. By the end, the bright red cherries turn black, emitting aromas of fruitcake, brown sugar, and even sherry!

Varieties (Caturra, Catuai)

Caturra is a Bourbon variety discovered in Brazil in 1937. It has better production capacity and disease resistance than Bourbon, and the plant is shorter, making it convenient to harvest. It is highly adaptable and doesn't require shade trees - it can thrive directly under the bright sun, commonly known as "Sun Coffee." Caturra is suitable for cultivation from low altitudes of 700 meters to high altitudes of 1700 meters. It has strong altitude adaptability, but the higher the altitude, the better the flavor, though production capacity relatively decreases - this is the destiny of specialty beans.

Catauai is also an Arabica hybrid variety, a cross between Mundo Novo and Caturra, with better resistance to natural disasters, particularly wind and rain. It inherits the advantage of Caturra's low plant height, addressing Mundo Novo's shortcomings. Another advantage is its firm fruit that doesn't easily fall off in strong winds, compensating for Arabica's fragile nature.

The green beans appear somewhat uneven in length and size. Besides the grassy aroma typical of green beans, they also emit a faint floral tea aroma and rich fruit fragrances.

Processing Method (Natural)

This coffee uses the natural processing method. Natural processing is the oldest and most traditional method for coffee beans, where harvested coffee cherries are placed on patios, and sometimes even dried directly on roadsides, receiving direct sunlight exposure (requiring approximately 27-30 days) to reduce moisture content from 60% to about 12%. Beans processed using the natural method have the lowest acidity, noticeable sweetness, high body but slightly lower clarity.

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