Food - Drink
What Makes Costa Rica’s Coffee So Special?
By CHRIS SANDS
From their high altitude farms blessed by heavy rainfall to their pioneering processing methods, everything about Costa Rica’s coffee production is unique. In their 8 different growing regions, with their own micro-climate and resulting flavor profiles, you will find fertile soil and innovative processing methods.
In addition to having abundant volcanic soils that are rich in minerals like phosphorus, potassium, and calcium, Costa Rica also gets excellent results through "wet processing." According to the National Coffee Association, this is the process by which the skin and pulp of the cherry are water washed before the seeds are dried and roasted.
Costa Rica has also pioneered the “honey method”, which allows them to control the level of mucilage, or "stickiness," and therefore the overall flavor of the coffee. Driven Coffee Roasters said that this resulted in Costa Rica's distinctive light body, lively acidity, and rich, fragrant tastes.
This distinctive flavor is a product of both processing techniques and the country's unique brewing style. According to Perfect Daily Grind, this process is pouring hot water through a cloth filter set within a chorreador (a Costa Rican invention) until the hot and delicious result is poured into a waiting cup.