SANTA TERESA - COSTA RICA
Our coffee
makes a difference
Costa Rica - Costa Ricans and visitors deserve to taste & enjoy
the pure & fair taste of Costa Rica.
SINGLE ORIGIN. DIRECT TRADE.
Our coffee is purchased directly from the family farm Finca Santa Lucia. It's located in the Occidental Valley, one of 8 prime Costa Rican coffee growing regions, and grown at the high altitude of 1650-1750 meters (5500 feet) above sea level
We drive to the coffee farm ourselves from Santa Teresa every 2-4 months, each time buying 4 quintals (4 coffee sacks for a combined weight of 184 kilos/ 405 lbs) It takes about 6 hours one way from our tiny beach town on Costa Rica’s west coast of the Nicoya Peninsula to the much cooler climate of the Occidental Valley Coffee Region.
THE FAMILY COFFEE FARM
Ricardo Perez Barrantes and his brothers have been in coffee agriculture for over 30 years. The coffee from Finca Santa Lucia is grown and processed by Don Ricardo and his daughter Mariana. He is a well regarded pioneer of organic coffee growing. We love and cherish the time we have on the finca with Ricardo very much, learning more about what makes our coffee and grower special with each occasion.
Highest Quality.Homegrown.
tasted in every sip
Ricardo specializes in direct trade relationships with roasters from all over the world.
95% - 97% of his product is being exported, so he is equally proud as we are to keep some of the highest quality coffee grown in his homeland in Costa Rica.
It's important to purchase direct-trade from sustainable, local businesses and microgrowers instead of corporate coffee. This way, the quality is maintained at the highest grade; The product is made by long-term, well-paid, passionate employees; And the product stays the cleanest it can be. Fair trade for a fair price and the greatest taste. Everybody's happy.
ORGANIC
Don Ricardo switched his agriculture methods to organic in 2002. Initially he lost almost 80% of his yield but he persisted feeling strongly about the need to be more holistic in agriculture. Today, that gamble has paid off. In 2005 he and his brothers built a mill to process their coffee and coffee for 30 other producers. His finca is one of the best in Costa Rica.
SUSTAINABLE. CLEAN. PERFECTLY OVERSEEN.
After establishing sustainable coffee growing, he created a certification within Costa Rica called Clean Product, which guarantees minimal intervention in coffee growing practices. Every single aspect from growing, harvesting to milling on Finca Santa Lucia is overseen by Ricardo. Ricardo’s mill, Helsar de Zarcero, is located next to his house, sitting proudly at the top of a steeply sloping mountainside… and is well known in the specialty coffee world for its sustainable practices.
Nothing from the coffee milling process goes to waste. Organic Fertilizer is made on site from the coffee cherry pulp combined with water used on washed coffees, molasses, mined zinc, boron, and other minerals. Intermixed with coffee plants -divided by variety- are other agriculture plants and trees. Bananas, lemons, limes, and avocado trees -to name a few- can be found growing and being harvested. It is also interesting to see tall pine trees lining the top of the slope. The mixture of plants and trees help growth and pest control of his coffee crops.
About the Coffee
(extended info)
ORIGIN
Grower: Ricardo Pérez Barrantes & Mariana Pérez
Farm: Finca Santa Lucia at Helsar de Zarcero Micro Mill
Country: Costa Rica
Region: West Valley
Varietal: Typica / Villalobos
Altitude: 1650-1750 meters
Processing Method: Natural Red Honey process on raised beds in Helsar de Zarcero mill.
(this refers to coffee beans drying on patios, raked while retaining an inner layer of mucilage on the bean during the drying process. This inner layer is sticky, sweet and enhances mild sweet, floral notes in the flavour hence the term honey)
PROFILE
Roast Level: Medium Dark Roast
The Cup: The well composed and fruity smell has honey and sweet-floral notes that develop into a complex and juicy cup with flavors of prunes, red grapes and cashew fruit that are well balanced with the taste of roasted almonds for a creamy and juicy mouthfeel.
Cup profile: Soft, floral and honey on the nose, prunes and red grapes in the cup combined with flavours of roasted nuts
ROASTED IN OUR OWN CAFÉ
WE ROAST SMALL BATCHES TO ENSURE FRESHNESS // Typically roasting anywhere from 6 to 20 kilos per roasting session, which takes anywhere from 3-12 hours of time.. (our roaster is 2 kilo capacity, we have high hopes of upgrading eventually with your continued support of our business). Our house roast blend is a medium dark roast which compliments the variety of coffee, the processing method and our hot and cold coffee creations. We offer lighter or darker on a by-order 1 kilo minimum basis. As of 2021 we are the only coffee shop in Santa Teresa that roasts our own coffee, makes professional barista beverages and also serves our own 16 hour infused cold brew recipe. Our equipment is professional grade. We train our baristas, encourage continued learning and practice latte art.
TAKE SOME COFFEE HOME
250 gr - 500 gr- 1kg We sell coffee beans and ground coffee so you can make your own delicious cup of java at home. Our retail grinder is a BUNN professional series. We can grind anything from turkish fine grind all the way to the coarsest coffee used for cold brew infusion or percolators.
