Introduction to Costa Rica San Isidro Labrador Estate Honey Process Geisha Coffee Beans

Costa Rica - Hacienda San Isidro Labrador - Honey Process - Geisha

Country: Costa Rica

Region: Tarrazú, Candelaria

Estate: Hacienda San Isidro Labrador

Altitude: 1,900-2,100 meters

Variety: Geisha

Processing Method: Honey Process

Flavor Notes: Cherry, Orange, Yellow Peach, Floral, Oolong Tea

Hacienda San Isidro Labrador is located in Costa Rica's most renowned Tarrazú region. The coffee plantation spans 6 hectares in the Santa María de Dota area. Its steep terrain both protects the coffee trees from Atlantic climate influences and allows them to receive warm Pacific currents, with ample sunlight throughout the day. The estate sits at approximately 1,950 meters above sea level, where distinct dry and rainy seasons create unique microclimate characteristics for coffee cultivation.

As a third-generation coffee farmer, estate owner Johel Monge Naranjo was exposed to all aspects of coffee cultivation from an early age under his father's influence, developing it into a successful business.

At age 15, Johel's father gifted him a piece of land to grow coffee and establish his independence, hoping he would become a diligent coffee farmer. However, at 21, Johel developed new aspirations. He wanted to study land surveying, so he sold the coffee farm inherited from his father and worked as a land surveying engineer for over twenty years. After retirement, the ever-restless Mr. Johel decided to return to coffee farming. He purchased a piece of land called San Isidro Labrador, rediscovering his childhood passion.

Mr. Johel now manages the Labrador estate together with his son Matias Monge, focusing on specialty coffee production, cultivation, and quality. After graduating from university, Matias became a mechanical engineer and worked in that field for several years. Driven by his family's inherited passion for coffee, he eventually returned to the family farm to help his father manage the coffee business.

Through their joint efforts, Labrador Estate has repeatedly participated in Cup of Excellence (COE) green bean auctions in recent years, achieving multiple outstanding results:

• 2017: COE First Place
• 2018: COE Second Place
• 2019: COE First Place and Third Place
• 2022: COE Second Place
• 2023: COE First Place (together with Finca El Cedro)
• 2024: COE Experimental Category Second Place

Notably, Labrador Estate was acquired by Don Ricky approximately 9 years ago, meaning that today's Hacienda San Isidro Labrador is nominally a sub-estate under the Don Dario Farm umbrella.

Honey Process Geisha from Labrador Estate

FrontStreet Coffee's current batch from Hacienda San Isidro Labrador utilizes the honey processing method that many coffee enthusiasts particularly adore. This process not only imparts delicate pink floral notes to the Geisha variety but also gives the coffee a distinctive tropical fruit character. In micro-lot processing techniques, Johel applies years of accumulated green bean processing skills to maximize the advantages of honey processing. This method, one of Costa Rica's specialties, results in coffee beans with concentrated aromas, full sweetness, and rich layers of complexity.

In practice, honey processing is not complicated, but achieving ideal results requires attention to many small details and is more time-consuming and labor-intensive compared to natural or washed processing. First, harvested ripe cherries are placed in a depulper to remove the skin and pulp. The green beans with intact mucilage are then spread on suspended mesh screens for drying. During this period, the cherries must be constantly turned to ensure even heating. The parchment beans stick together due to their slippery outer layer while gradually hardening until they reach the appropriate dehydration level, at which point they can be sent to the warehouse for storage.

Roasting and Cupping Notes

To preserve the floral and fruit acidity molecules of this honey-processed Geisha while highlighting its candy-like sweetness, FrontStreet Coffee's roasters believe that a medium-light roast degree yields the best results.

After two days of degassing and resting, FrontStreet Coffee's team eagerly conducted a cupping session of these beans. In the dry aroma, the Labrador Estate honey-processed Geisha emits intense pink rose flower notes along with fruity tones such as cranberry, yellow peach, and grape, creating a pleasant aroma. When FrontStreet Coffee poured hot water into the cup, the coffee released fresh citrus and honey fragrances.

After breaking the crust and removing grounds, FrontStreet Coffee tasted distinct juice-like characteristics in the coffee, accompanied by grape, orange, and cherry flavors, with black tea-like aftertaste and elegant floral notes. As the temperature gradually decreased, the sweet-tart flavors of citrus and apricot became lighter, with a clean finish. Drinking it felt like sipping a cup of sweet fruit tea, instantly uplifting one's mood.

Brewing Recommendations

Generally, when brewing high-altitude hard beans, the flavor profile tends to emphasize acidity. With medium-light roasting, the internal structure of coffee beans remains relatively hard, requiring higher water temperature and finer grind settings during brewing to extract more aromatic compounds. For a complex aromatic coffee like Geisha, FrontStreet Coffee suggests choosing fresh coffee beans to better present its flavor characteristics. FrontStreet Coffee sells all coffee beans roasted within 5 days, understanding the importance of coffee freshness and ensuring customers receive beans at their peak flavor, ready for immediate brewing.

For brewing, FrontStreet Coffee chose a Hario V60 dripper, using 15g of coffee ground to the consistency of fine sugar (80% passing through a #20 standard sieve), with a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, water temperature of 91°C, and a three-stage pour extraction method.

FrontStreet Coffee first pours 15g of coffee grounds into the dripper and tares the weight. For the first stage, 30g of water is poured for a 30-second bloom, starting the timer simultaneously. Using a gentle stream, pour from the center outward in circular motions, ensuring the entire coffee bed is saturated.

For the second stage, use a slightly larger water stream to pour 120g of water, aiming to raise the entire coffee bed. The water stream should be poured vertically and evenly. At this point, the scale should show 150g, with the pour completed at approximately 55 seconds.

When the water level drops to about halfway, begin the third stage by pouring 90g with a small stream in small circular motions. Control the water flow to avoid creating too large circles, which could disperse the coffee grounds and cause under-extraction. The total water poured should be 240g, with the entire dripping process completing in approximately 2 minutes and 10 seconds. Remove the dripper, gently swirl the coffee in the sharing pitcher to ensure even distribution, and it's ready to enjoy.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473