Costa Rican Bahia vs Mozart Coffee Beans: A Comparison of Flavor and Taste Characteristics

FrontStreet Coffee Costa Rica Baha

Origin: Costa Rica

Region: Canet Estate, Tarrazú

Altitude: 1900m

Variety: F1

Processing: Raisin Honey

Roast Level: Medium-Light

According to SCA recommendations, pour-over coffee should use 15g of coffee grounds with 225ml of water at 90-91°C, maintaining a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio.

The specific flavor profile presents mature berry-like fermentation notes, with rose floral aromatics, blueberry sweetness and acidity, creamy smoothness, and a caramel-like aftertaste.

Baha's music is exquisite, rich in layers, yet clear and well-structured. This coffee bean's dry aroma carries fruity notes of strawberry, blackberry, and raisin, with wafts of fruit fragrance during brewing.

When freshly brewed, distinct floral and fruit aromas emerge. Upon entry, one experiences rich fruit fragrance and sweet acidity, with the mid-to-late section carrying subtle wine notes, much like red wine.

As it cools, it reveals candied fruit sweetness, with the wine aroma becoming more pronounced, even expressing plum liqueor notes. Such an exquisite taste experience truly resembles Baha's music.

Coffee Bean Variety

Today we see the commercial results of the F1 variety, a project planned as early as the 1990s. In 1970, coffee leaf rust (the source of leaf rust disease) swept across the Americas. The genetic uniformity of American coffee made it unable to resist leaf rust, leading to complete devastation once infected. Against this backdrop, an F1 project aimed at cultivating a new generation of coffee varieties was born, led by the French Agricultural Research Center for International Development (CIRAD) and the Central American Coffee Organization (ROMECAFE), with assistance from the Agronomic Institute of the Americas (IAC) and the Costa Rica Tropical Research and Education Center (CATIE). They believed that Catuaí and Catuai, widely cultivated in South America, had very weak disease resistance. Thus, they sought to cultivate a new generation that balanced flavor and vitality through hybrid breeding.

The Costa Rica Tropical Research and Education Center selected from hundreds of coffee varieties for cross-pollination: Catuai, Catuai Amarillo, Catimor, Sarchimor T-5296 (a hybrid of Villa Sarchi and Timor), and wild varieties. After five years of effort, 100 different F1 varieties were produced, from which 20 superior ones were selected for propagation and cultivation. These first-generation F1 hybrids exhibit stronger disease resistance, drought tolerance, and higher yields. The cultivated varieties also require genetic stability (to be inheritable), thus requiring continued cultivation of first and second generations, with genetic stability expected to be confirmed by the eighth generation. This is why F1 hybrid varieties have appeared on the market this year.

Raisin Honey Processing Method

Retaining 100% mucilage with zero water processing method.

This increases the difficulty of honey processing, requiring strict timing control. On the day of coffee cherry harvest, the harvested coffee fruits are poured into large water tanks. Mature, full fruits will sink to the bottom, while underdeveloped or overripe fruits will float to the surface. These floating beans must be removed. The selected coffee fruits are placed on raised beds to dry for at least three days, then the cherry skin is removed while preserving the mucilage before further drying. During this stage, climate factors are key to the success of honey processing.

During the drying process, these coffee cherries must be continuously turned to ensure even drying, but the turning frequency must be carefully controlled. Slow drying ensures proper fermentation treatment, but cannot be too slow to avoid over-fermentation.

Canet Estate

Canet Estate (Finca Canet) is a small 5-hectare farm located in the town of San Marcos, Tarrazú region, owned by the Robles brothers Leo, Elian and Melvin. They have worked together cultivating and producing for over 10 years and also share a small wet processing mill (Beneficio).

Canet Estate is situated in the highest altitude coffee growing area of Costa Rica's Tarrazú region. This area is the most intensive fruit cultivation region in Costa Rica. The estate owners primarily grow passion fruit, with coffee quantities being quite scarce. Only a specific area is dedicated to coffee cultivation, receiving special care, with only mature red cherry fruits being harvested.

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