Coffee origin
Costa Rican coffee: clean, sweet and famous for honey process
Costa Rica has grown coffee since 1779. It produces less than 1% of the world's coffee, but much of it is aimed at quality.
- Usual processing
- washed, honey
- Species
- arabica
- Typical notes
- caramel, orange blossom, dried plum, cocoa
Profiles are typical descriptions from the sources on each page. Every farm, harvest and roast is different, so read the roaster's own tasting notes too.
How it tastes
Costa Rica is known for honey processing, where some of the sticky fruit flesh stays on the bean while it dries. This tends to give a syrupy body, more sweetness and round acidity, between a washed and a natural coffee. A honey-processed coffee from Tarrazú reviewed by Coffee Review tasted of salted caramel, dried plum, cocoa and orange blossom, balanced and sweetly tart.
Where it comes from
There are eight recognised regions: Valle Occidental, Tarrazú, Tres Ríos, Orosi, Turrialba, Valle Central, Guanacaste and Brunca. Tarrazú is considered to produce the most sought-after beans. Coffee money helped build the 1890 railway to the Atlantic coast and the National Theatre in San José.
From 1988 Costa Rica banned planting robusta to focus on arabica. In 2018 the coffee institute ICAFE and the agriculture minister backed lifting the ban and creating robusta zones, so a bag saying "Costa Rica" is very likely, but no longer by law, arabica.
How to enjoy it
Washed Costa Ricans are clean and bright in a filter. Honey lots, with more body and sweetness, also make a pleasant espresso and work with a splash of milk.
Shop Costa Rica coffee
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Sources
- Wikipedia: Coffee production in Costa Rica
- Coffee Review: Costa Rica honey process (tasting notes)
- World Coffee Portal: Costa Rica rethinks robusta ban (2018)
- Perfect Daily Grind: What do coffees from around the world taste like, and why?
We checked these sources on the date above. Spotted a mistake? Please tell us through the contact page.