Costa Rica Black Honey Process Catuai Tarrazu Region Finca La Minita Specialty Single-Origin Coffee Beans

Factory: Coffee Workshop
Shelf Life: 90 days
Net Weight: 227g
Package Type: Loose coffee beans
Roast Level: Green/Raw beans to roasted beans
Sugar Content: Sugar-free
Origin: Costa Rica
Roast Degree: Medium roast

Coffee Information

Country: Costa Rica

Grade: SHB

Region: Tarrazu

Roast Degree: Medium roast

Processing Method: Black honey processing

Variety: Catuai

Estate: La Minita Estate

Flavor Notes: Preserved plum, honey, brown sugar

Costa Rican Coffee Excellence

Although Costa Rica has earned recognition among coffee connoisseurs for its honey-processed beans, that achievement is inseparable from the country's superior geographical and climatic conditions and its exclusive cultivation of Arabica varieties. Costa Rica's premium beans are known as "Strictly Hard Bean" (SHB), followed by Hard Bean (HB) and Semi-Hard Bean (SH) in descending quality order, which also forms the country's grading system. SHB grows above 1,500 meters, and altitude has always stood for quality: higher altitude means better quality. The significant elevation drop also creates abundant rainfall, which benefits the trees, while the lower temperatures at high altitude slow growth and let the cherries absorb more nutrients, resulting in richer flavor.

Premium Growing Regions

The three most famous origins are Tarrazu, south of Costa Rica's capital San Jose, along with the Central Valley and Western Valley regions. Within these areas many excellent independent estates diligently cultivate more refined washed and honey-processed beans. We can look forward to more honey-processed surprises from Costa Rica.

Honey Processing Methods

Three honey processing types are commonly seen: Yellow Honey, Red Honey and Black Honey.

Yellow Honey: Approximately 40% of the mucilage is removed; drying requires the most direct heat absorption, receiving maximum sunlight exposure and taking about 8 days to reach stable moisture content.

Red Honey: Approximately 25% of the mucilage is removed; compared with Yellow Honey, drying takes longer and direct sun exposure is reduced, sometimes using shade nets, lasting about 12 days.

Black Honey: Almost no mucilage is removed; drying takes the longest, lasting at least 2 weeks, and coverings are used to avoid excessive sunlight, preventing too-rapid drying and allowing more thorough sugar conversion.

La Minita Estate Black Honey

This batch of La Minita Estate Black Honey comes from Costa Rica's renowned Tarrazu region. Although Costa Rica started developing specialty coffee relatively late, its specialty industry has grown rapidly. With the mild fruit acidity, smooth mouthfeel and sweet, high-quality berry flavors of honey processing, it has become a force to be reckoned with. Black Honey retains approximately 80% of the mucilage, and the most obvious distinction is that Yellow, Red and Black Honey become progressively sweeter. Combined with richer fruit notes, it has won the favor of coffee connoisseurs.

Flavor: Preserved plum, honey, brown sugar, orange blossom, white chocolate

Mouthfeel: Excellent sweetness, gentle fruit acidity, round and full-bodied, persistent aftertaste

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Honey processing is a natural fit for Costa Rica, and FrontStreet Coffee's black-honey offering is the Blackberry coffee, processed with a black honey method that removes almost no mucilage and dries for at least two weeks under coverings, turned at intervals so the sugar converts evenly without overheating. Roasted medium-light, it releases an intense floral aroma when ground and brews into a cup with distinctive grape, berry and ripe blackberry flavors.

FrontStreet Coffee's Strawberry Candy Geisha blend takes the honey idea further, combining a Panamanian Geisha with a Costa Rican coffee processed as raisin honey, which retains 100% of the mucilage with a zero-water method: the cherries are floated to remove underdeveloped and overripe fruit, dried on raised beds for at least three days, then depulped with the mucilage left on and dried further, turned constantly for evenness. The result carries the floral, tea-like Geisha character along with raisin and blueberry notes, a soft fruit acidity, an almond finish and obvious sweetness.

FrontStreet Coffee's Mozart is made with an even more demanding raisin honey method, in which the whole cherries are pre-dried on raised beds for at least three days before depulping and completing the honey process, again retaining 100% of the mucilage. It brings a richer, hot-fruit sweetness, and whether brewed as pour-over, cold brew or in a moka pot, it shows distinctive notes of osmanthus, pineapple and raisin.