2024 Q3 LTO: Honey Process Tarrazú

Flavor notes: Sweet brown sugar notes, followed by dried fruit flavors, all wrapped up in a milk chocolate acidity.

Beneficio San Diego is the most modern mill in Costa Rica. It was established in 1888 and has been innovating ever since. Today Beneficio San Diego specializes in coffees from Tarrazu and Tres Rios regions. The mill takes pride in striving for ever increasing efficiency and quality standards. At the same time. it has taken a leading role in working with producers to ensure good community relations and sustainable production.

The honey process started in Costa Rica and has since spread to other countries in Central America. In this process some or all of the mucilage of the coffee cherry - or coffee honey - that coats the parchment is left on during the drying stage, giving the coffee a sweetness that resembles a natural.

This coffee was selected for its incredibly exceptional cup profile. Given the uniqueness and complexity of the honey process. no two honey coffees are alike. This craft process starts with the strict selection of perfectly ripe cherries. once the coffee is depulped the mucilage is left on allowing the natural sugars to enhance the coffees sweetness. The coffee is then dried on African beds or patios. allowing the coffee to dry in a slow and even way.

Other Notes:
Roast – Medium-Light
Area – Tarrazú, Costa Rica
Growing Altitude – 4000-5700ft
Type – Honey process dried
Variety – Caturra, Catui

2023 Q4 LTO: Los Santos Diez Pueblos

Sweet and balanced, creamy body, bright acidity, and notes of milk chocolate, citrus, and caramel.

Zona Los Santos (or, Valley of the Saints) is home to numerous small towns. However, 10 towns — San Marcos, San Lorenzo, San Carlos, Santa Maria, San Gerardo, San Pablo, San Andreas, San Isidro, Santa Cruz, and Copey — hold most of its population and define its coffee culture.

In these 10 towns, like in so much of Costa Rica, life revolves around the church, the soccer field and the town café. Coffee is also an enormous focus in these communities. It’s estimated that approximately 7,000 families in Los Santos typically produce about half a million bags of coffee each year.

This coffee was hand picked by smallholder producers and delivered, at the end of the harvest day, to either the Palmichal micromill or two other nearby mills. Throughout the night, the coffee was de-pulped and washed. It was later dried on patios and finally mechanically dried at low temperatures and with steady airflow..

Other Notes:
Roast – Medium-Light
Area – Los Santos, Costa Rica
Growing Altitude – 4200-5900ft
Type – Washed/Sun & Drum dried
Variety – Caturra, Catui