What Are the Characteristics of Costa Rican Coffee and How Are Coffee Beans Graded?

Central America, also known as the Central American Isthmus, is the connecting landmass between North and South America. The terrain in this region is predominantly composed of mountains and hills, interspersed with basins and valleys. The area features volcanic belts with fertile volcanic soil ideal for cultivation. Combined with its tropical location and mild climate in mountainous basins, it provides excellent conditions for growing crops such as coffee.

Consequently, among the seven countries in Central America, six are coffee producers and renowned for their coffee cultivation. Costa Rica, for instance, was the first country in Central America to grow coffee and bananas for commercial purposes, with these commodities becoming the nation's primary export products.

Coffee was first introduced to Costa Rica through Cuba in the 18th century, when the country was under Spanish rule and the coffee industry was controlled by Spain. It wasn't until the 1820s, after Costa Rica declared independence, that the government began distributing coffee seeds freely to citizens and implementing tax exemption policies to promote coffee production as an economic crop. From this point, Costa Rica's coffee industry developed rapidly, with exports reaching Europe and the United States.

In the 20th century, Costa Rica became Britain's largest coffee supplier. However, the outbreak of World War II led Britain to halt imports of Costa Rican coffee beans, dealing a significant blow to the industry. Furthermore, in the 1980s, coffee tree diseases swept across Central America, causing the death of over one million coffee trees and striking another severe blow to Costa Rica's coffee industry.

Although the industry gradually recovered, the Costa Rican government realized that only producing high-quality Arabica coffee beans would enable them to establish a firm position in the market. Consequently, they passed a law prohibiting the cultivation of Robusta coffee varieties.

Coffee thrives in Costa Rica thanks to the country's abundant natural resources. The central region is traversed by the Cordillera mountain range, featuring predominantly volcanic, rugged terrain that separates the eastern and western regions. Coffee is cultivated on the slopes of both sides, where high altitudes, volcanic soil, and abundant sunlight create ideal conditions for coffee growth.

Coffee Growing Regions in Costa Rica

Currently, Costa Rica is divided into eight major coffee-growing regions: West Valley, Central Valley, Tarrazu, Tres Rios, Orosi, Brunca, Turrialba, and Guanacaste. All these regions are distributed along the central mountain range.

Among them, Tarrazu is the largest and most renowned region, located in the San Jose province in the central part of the country. Originally, this region was named Los Santos and has a long history of coffee cultivation, including areas such as the town of Tarrazu and Dota. However, Tarrazu gained prominence earliest, and in 2019, the Costa Rican government registered "Café de Tarrazú" as a coffee origin certification with the European Union and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Consequently, people have become accustomed to classifying this major producing region as "Tarrazu."

This region is close to the Pacific Ocean and influenced by Pacific warm currents, resulting in high annual rainfall and mild temperatures. Located in a volcanic area, coffee is grown on slopes at elevations between 1,200 and 1,900 meters. The fertile volcanic soil combined with the humid climate provides exceptional conditions for coffee cultivation.

Coffee Grading System in Costa Rica

Costa Rica's grading system is relatively simple, following the practice of most Central American origins by using altitude as the primary criterion for grade classification. This is because higher altitudes result in lower temperatures, slower maturation of coffee cherries, greater accumulation of sugars, richer flavors, and superior density and hardness. The classification generally includes SHB (Strictly Hard Bean - coffee grown above 1,200 meters), GHB (Good Hard Bean - coffee grown between 1,000-1,200 meters), and MHB (Medium Hard Bean - coffee grown below 1,000 meters).

FrontStreet Coffee's Costa Rica Selection

Among FrontStreet Coffee's daily selection series, this renowned region is also featured. This introductory specialty Tarrazu coffee is made from Catuai and Caturra varieties, processed using the washed method with SHB grade classification. After brewing, it reveals slight fruit acidity with flavors of sweet orange, nuts, and honey, accompanied by a smooth aftertaste. FrontStreet Coffee believes that Costa Rica was the first country in Central America to grow coffee for commercial purposes, and the nation focuses more on improving coffee quality rather than quantity. Therefore, the country is renowned for producing high-quality coffee characterized by gentle fruit acidity and nutty flavors, with overall balanced flavor and mouthfeel that truly represents Central American coffee.

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