Introduction to Costa Rica's Coffee Institute ICAFE, Coffee Varieties, and Canet Estate Mozart Coffee

Costa Rica: The Global Coffee Powerhouse

Located in Central America, Costa Rica stands as the world's 14th largest coffee-producing nation. Despite its relatively small territory, the country boasts vast forests and fertile volcanic soil, creating ideal conditions for coffee cultivation.

A Rich Coffee Heritage

Coffee has been cultivated in Costa Rica since the early 19th century. The government has strongly supported coffee farming, establishing the Institute for the Defence of Coffee in 1933 to protect small coffee farmers from exploitation. In 1948, this organization evolved into the Instituto del Cafe de Costa Rica (ICAFE), which continues to operate today. The institute later established experimental farms and promoted Costa Rican coffee globally.

ICAFE: Costa Rica's Coffee Authority

Established in 1933, the Coffee Research Institute can be considered Costa Rica's coffee authority. Its founding purpose was to promote unique and fair production models among national producers, roasters, and exporters. The institute supports the production, processing, export, and sale of Costa Rican coffee, promotes its consumption domestically and internationally, and researches and develops agricultural and industrial technologies. Additionally, it approves fair agricultural minimum prices that must be paid to producers, along with providing certain welfare mechanisms.

Furthermore, as a leading service institution for education and coffee promotion activities, ICAFE participates in and guarantees the quality and sustainability of Costa Rican coffee through innovation and traceability programs. Over its 91 years of operation, the institute has made significant contributions to the development of Costa Rica's coffee industry, with its most notable achievement being the development of new coffee varieties.

Collaborative Research and Variety Development

The Costa Rica Coffee Research Institute has collaborated with the renowned multinational coffee chain Starbucks to research multiple coffee varieties' resistance to leaf rust, anthracnose, and "eye-spot disease." This partnership aims to identify varieties with strong disease resistance and climate adaptability, with the goal of increasing Costa Rican coffee production and competitiveness while promoting sustainable development in the coffee cultivation industry.

Additionally, there is the Venecia coffee variety, a natural mutation of Caturra discovered in the San Carlos region of Costa Rica's Central Valley. This variety, released by ICAFE as a new Caturra breeding, offers advantages including small plant size, high yield, strong rain resistance, and disease resistance. In 1991, ICAFE began researching and selecting this variety in the Turrialba, Coto Brus, and Perez Zeledon regions. After years of dedicated research, the Venecia variety from the Perez Zeledon region has demonstrated not only richer flavors but also superior yield and disease resistance.

Costa Rican Coffee Excellence and FrontStreet Coffee's Selection

Costa Rican coffee's fame stems not only from the country's ideal coffee-growing conditions but also from the government's support in establishing research institutes and promoting Costa Rican coffee globally. Of course, FrontStreet Coffee has also acquired numerous coffees from Costa Rica, including the renowned Musician Series - Mozart from the Carmen estate in the Tarrazú region.

This Mozart coffee undergoes raisin honey processing. When brewed using V60 with a 1:15 ratio, it presents complex floral aromas and fermentation notes, featuring starfruit and berry-like acidity, along with raisin-like sweetness. The mouthfeel is full and rich, concluding with a sugarcane-like aftertaste.

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