The History of Costa Rican Coffee

When you hear about Costa Rican coffee, you might think of good quality, rich-tasting coffee. Both of these ideas are correct, but this reputation is no coincidence. Costa Ricans take great pride in their coffee and are proud of what we call the golden bean.

In 1720, the first coffee beans were brought to Martinica, and then to Costa Rica at the end of the eighteenth century. Due to the ideal climate in the mountainous regions, coffee became one of their largest export products and an important part of the Costa Rican economy.

Costa Rica was the first country in the region to develop a coffee industry. Since then, the government has been encouraging farmers to grow coffee. Although Costa Rica's coffee production accounts for about 1% of the world's coffee production, the coffee quality is exceptionally high. And today, large companies like Starbucks have their own coffee plantations in Costa Rica, under excellent conditions!

Costa Rican coffee has won many international competitions and certifications. In Japan, the champion of the World Coffee Competition used Costa Rican coffee to make his award-winning cup, and he said he only uses that coffee because it is the best in the world.

When the country declared independence from Spain in 1821, free coffee beans were distributed among Costa Ricans to promote the adoption of the new crop. Coffee quickly became the sole export product and maintained its unique status until the 1890s. Since then, the reputation of Costa Rican coffee has suffered some setbacks, but in the past thirty years, its reputation has been consolidated. You will also be pleased to know that Costa Rican Java coffee is 100% Arabica coffee. In 1989, the country banned farmers from growing Robusta trees to ensure improved coffee quality. If someone tries to sell you Costa Rican Robusta beans, they are either misguided or lying to you.

Costa Rica is also the birthplace of unique honey processing techniques. Honey coffee was first introduced in 2006 and stands out for its intense sweetness and vibrant berry flavors. Local producers embraced the idea of using pulping machines to experiment with Java flavors, and you can now purchase four types of honey beans (using white, yellow, red, and black honey).

Top 5 Costa Rican Coffee Bean Brands of 2021

Volcanica Costa Rican Peaberry Coffee

Volcanica Coffee's Costa Rican Peaberry variety is one of the best coffees from Costa Rica. These rich-flavored whole beans are consistently medium-roasted and brew without bitterness. Even better, they have a delicious berry-like aroma and flavor that will surely impress your taste buds.

Sweet, aromatic, and rich—these are high-quality, hand-picked peaberry beans grown in volcanic soil at altitudes over 3,000 feet. Volcanica roasts and ships coffee beans daily. This means each bag arrives fresh, aromatic, and perfectly roasted.

This brand's coffee has many flavors, and all the hand-picked round beans are from a single origin. The consistent medium roasting enhances the quality of this coffee.

Cooper's Cask Wine Barrel-Aged

Cooper's Cask offers various unusual Costa Rican coffee beans: Cabernet Sauvignon wine barrel-aged. These delicious medium-roast beans are "honey processed," giving them sweet complexity, and then aged in Cabernet Sauvignon wine barrels.

We found these beans to be aromatic and fresh, with the wine flavor bringing an interesting dimension to the coffee. All in all, they are very tasty, with slight acidity and notes of honey, fruit, and dark chocolate.

The honey-processed coffee beans have richer layers, and barrel fermentation gives them excellent flavor and aroma.

Teasia

Teasia Coffee's single-origin Costa Rican coffee beans offer an attractive price with excellent flavor. These medium-roast whole beans have high acidity and a light fruit flavor, with hints of caramel and chocolate. They are very smooth and not too bitter.

These beans are grown at higher altitudes, exceeding 5,000 feet. The creative idea of hand-writing the roaster's name and expiration date on the bag is very nice, and the roast date is fresh.

Kirkland Costa Rica Whole Bean Coffee

These Costa Rican whole beans from Kirkland are beloved by fans for their low price, consistent dark roast, and rich flavor. They are not single-origin, but if you're willing to give up delicious beans and can find them at a good price, they offer great value.

When fresh, these coffee beans are very good. However, since you're not getting these directly from the roaster, freshness can vary greatly.

Cafe Britt Tarrazu Montecielo

This coffee is much cheaper than the previous coffees, but it may not taste as fresh, partly because it has been pre-ground. However, it still has many flavors.

This coffee is certified as SHB or Strictly Hard Bean, which means it is grown entirely at altitudes exceeding 4,500 feet. We found it tastes less fresh, partly because it is pre-ground, but it still has plenty of flavor.

Of course, if everyone cannot purchase these coffee beans, you can choose to order from FrontStreet Coffee on Taobao. Currently, the store has six types of Costa Rican coffee, including not only the famous Musician series but also Geisha, Blueberry, Mirasu, and many other options.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473