Thanks to tireless innovations, the sheer number of coffee varieties, extensive technical knowledge and attention to coffee production, Costa Rica is one of the most advanced coffee producing countries in Central America.
The climatic conditions in the country also play a role in the high quality of coffee produced. There are eight coffee regions: Guanacaste, West Valley, Turrialba, Valle Central (Central Valley), Tres Rios, Brunca, Orosi, and Tarrazú, a specific part of Valle Central.
Costa Rica has also become a world leader in traceability and sustainability in coffee production. Ninety percent of the country’s 50,000 coffee farmers are smallholders, and today, many deliver their cherry to boutique micro-mills that often process cherries according to producer specs to retain single-lot or single-farm qualities.
The rise of micro-mill processing, in itself, is a relatively recent development. Prior to the early 2000s it was common for smaller producers to deliver their cherry to cooperative-owned mills. As lucrative specialty markets developed, more and more farmers began establishing mills on their own farms, giving them increased control over processing and more assurance of the ‘traceability story’ so important to the growing market segment. Mills with excess capacity would then offer their services to neighboring farmers, offering a range of processing methods for small lots along with full traceability for roasters and importers. The system has enabled Costa Rica’s small to mid-sized coffee farmers to offer a wide range of differentiated products. Today, specialty lots from Costa Rica are almost as likely to bear the name of the micro-mill where they were processed as that of the producing farm.
The typically uncertain and dry weather patterns in Costa Rica make coffee farming more difficult. Long dry seasons and unpredictable weather patterns have virtually eliminated the possibility of organic farming. Nonetheless, both the government and farmers have taken active steps to protect the environment. Some of these restrictions also inform the processing methods for which Costa Rican coffee has become known.
Finca Casa de Piedra is one of two farms operated by Cafe Directo, a family business founded in 2013 by Father and daughter team, Gerardo and Jennifer Arias. The farm is dedicated to the production, processing, and marketing of the finest Costa Rican Tarrazú coffees in harmony with the environment. Directo’s vision is to contribute with the development of our society through fair and ethical trade.
Its founders have over thirty years of experience in the production and processing of specialty microlots qualities including naturals, yellow, red, and black honey, anaerobic, semi-washed and fully washed processes.
The unique conditions on the farm – in particular its microclimate and soil type, as well as elevations up to 1,800 masl – allow for a wide range of varieties to flourish, including Catuai, pacamara and gesha.
Origin: Costa Rica
Region: Tarrazu
Estate: Finca Casa de Piedra
Altitude: 1500 – 1800 masl
Varietal: Catuai
Processing: Washed
Harvest: Oct-March
Owner: Gerardo & Jennifer Arias
Cupping Score: 85
Tasting Notes: Lemon, Pink Lady Apple, Pecan, Chocolate
