Costa Rica Los Angeles

• Country – Costa Rica
• Region – Dota, Terrazu
• Farm- Los Girasoles Farm, part of the Los Angeles Family Beneficio
• Varietal – Catuai Rojo (Red Catuai)
• Elevation – 1750 to 2000 Meters (approximately 5700 to 6500 feet)
• Process – White Honey    
• Roast –  Light

Cupping notes of tangerine, milk chocolate and honey. 

Multi-year Cup of Excellence® winning farm. 

Zoka Cupping Score: 88

The Red Catuai varietal is a high yielding, compact tree. Its small size means it can be planted more densely and harvested more easily.  Catuai is a cross of Mundo Novo and Caturra varietals, which was introduced to Costa Rica about 35 years ago. Grown in loamy soil at an elevation of 1750 to 2000 meters above sea level, this coffee went through a white honey process after harvest.  

Honey process, per its name, provides a sweeter and wine-like taste to the coffees. The thin layer of sticky mucilage stays on the beans after they are de-pulped. When the beans are set out to dry, the mucilage layer dries with them, fermenting the coffee along the way. After drying, the beans are washed. Depending on how much mucilage is left on the parchment of the bean, it will dry in different colors giving the honey process names of white, yellow, red or black.  White honey tends to have the least amount of mucilage left on the bean before drying, lending to a sweet and mildly acidic profile.  

This coffee was grown on Los Girasoles Farm, which is part of the Los Angeles Family Beneficio.  It is owned and operated by the Calderon family, who has been in the coffee business since 1975. The Los Girasoles Farm is located in the Dota micro-region of the Terrazu coffee growing region of Costa Rica. 

Photo: Calderon Family, owner/operators of Los Girasoles.