Costa Rica is well known for its high-quality coffee. Many proudly proclaim that Costa Rica coffee is the best in Latin America. The country’s Tarrazu region is very well regarded for the high quality of coffee it produces. So what’s more to know about Costa Rica coffee? Well, read on to find out.
Best Costa Rica Coffee Brands And Products For 2020
- Gevalia Costa Rica Coffee
- Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC, Costa Rica Tarrazu Coffee
- Café Britt – Costa Rican Tres Rios Valdivia Coffee
- Coffee Bean Direct Dark Costa Rican Tarrazu
- Costa Rica Tarrazu – Good As Gold Coffee
- Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC, Costa Rica Tarrazu Coffee Pods
Editor’s Choice: Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC, Costa Rica Tarrazu Coffee
Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC, Costa Rica Tarrazu Coffee shows off the best of the high-quality beans of Costa Rica. The remarkably flavorful coffee is high grown at elevations ranging from 1,300-1,600 meters (4200-5200 feet). Now that’s some serious elevation. No wonder the coffee is so amazing!
Reviewed: The Best Of Costa Rica Coffee
1. Gevalia Costa Rica Coffee
Gevalia Costa Rica Coffee is a coarse grind suited for French press or drip coffee makers. It matches the deliciousness of Costa Rica coffee with Swedish tradition to offer a wonderful coffee experience.
This coffee is a rich, medium-bodied brew that highlights the taste notes of citrus and fruits. The roast is on the “darker side of medium”. It manages to present the taste notes of coffee while bringing out the bold sensations of a dark roast.
It’s excellent in a conventional brew. But the coffee can get absolutely magical with a cold brew as well. As a single source coffee, Gevalia Costa Rica Coarse Grind utilizes 100% arabica beans from farms that have Rainforest Alliance certification.
Highlights
- Coarse ground coffee
- Makes a rich, medium-bodied brew
- Taste notes of citrus and fruits
- Roast: medium-dark
- Certifications: Rainforest Alliance
2. Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC, Costa Rica Tarrazu Coffee
Ah, the famed Costa Rica Tarrazu that is practically a storied Costa Rica coffee brand by itself. This intensely flavored coffee has a mild body and an aroma to kill for. Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC Costa Rica Tarrazu Coffee is not cheap but the flavor and taste prove it to be worth the price.
The medium roast coffee highlights the taste notes of honey and chocolate that make this coffee so uniquely delicious. It is a high-grown coffee, with plants at elevations of 1,300-1,600 meters (4200-5200 feet). The unusually high altitude and the rich volcanic soil play a big role in giving Tarrazu coffee its famed name.
A medium body and bright acidity add their touch to this canvas of flavors. Coffee beans in the packaging are 100% arabica beans of the top quality caturra and catuai varieties.
Highlights
- Available as whole beans or ground coffee
- Famed Costa Rica Tarrazu coffee
- Medium body with bright acidity
- Taste notes of honey and chocolate
- Coffee grown in the Tarrazu region at altitude of 1,300-1,600 meters (4200-5200 feet)
- Coffee roast: medium
3. Café Britt – Costa Rican Tres Rios Valdivia Coffee
Café Britt is another famed brand and perhaps the best known provider of Costa Rica coffee. The complex and balanced coffee is constituted from the catuai variety of arabica coffee. This too is a medium roast, though it hails from a different, yet equally fascinating coffee growing region of Costa Rica.
Hailing from the Tres Rios region, this coffee is grown at elevations ranging from 1,200 – 1,650 meters (4200-5400 feet). There are flavor notes of citrus and plum and the aroma has a hint of honey-nut. This medium roast coffee is certified Kosher.
Highlights
- Available as whole beans or ground coffee
- Flavorful coffee with medium body
- Taste notes of citrus and plum, with the aroma of honey-nut
- Coffee grown in the Tres Rios region at altitude of 1,300-1,650 meters (4200-5400 feet)
- Coffee roast: medium
- Certifications: Kosher
4. Coffee Bean Direct Dark Costa Rican Tarrazu
Another notable Tarrazu coffee offering, though this one comes in French roast to show off its dark side. Coffee Bean Direct Dark Costa Rican Tarrazu offers a bold flavor, while its dark roast suppresses some of the acidity of the coffee. Taste notes get more subtle as chocolaty notes come to the fore, but there is a notable presence of fruity undertones.
The darker roast allows it to get a fuller, richer body that Tarrazu coffee lacks in lighter roasts. It boasts a great aroma, making the coffee more delicious and enjoyable.
Highlights
- Whole bean coffee
- Flavorful with great aroma
- High grown Costa Rica Tarrazu with altitude of 1,300-1,600 meters (4200-5200 feet)
- Taste notes of chocolate with hints of fruity undertones
- Coffee roast: dark (French roast)
5. Costa Rica Tarrazu – Good As Gold Coffee
Here’s another offering of Costa Rica Tarrazu done to match the expectations from the brand. Good As Gold Coffee’s whole beans are a medium-dark roast that manages to keep the acidity and flavor intact. This high grown delicious coffee is masterfully roasted and tops the charts in aroma and taste.
Highlights
- Whole bean coffee
- Flavorful with a great aroma
- High grown Costa Rica Tarrazu with altitude of 1,300-1,600 meters (4200-5200 feet)
- Coffee roast: medium-dark
6. Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC, Costa Rica Tarrazu Coffee Pods
Want to enjoy the taste of Costa Rica coffee, but prefer something that fits your Keurig single-serve machine? Well, here’s the K cup that you want. My suggestion would be to learn to use reusable K cups and brew gourmet coffee to your heart’s content.
Of course, if convenience is the top preference, the pod works just fine. These pods contain high-quality Costa Rica Tarrazu from Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC. Well, their coffee forms our editor’s choice for this category and since this is the same category, the K cups qualify too.
Yup, this is the same mild body medium roast coffee that shows off a bright acidity and is bursting with flavors. The K cups used are plastic, though they are recyclable.
Highlights
- Costa Rica coffee K cups
- Flavorful with a great aroma
- High grown Costa Rica Tarrazu with altitude of 1,300-1,600 meters (4200-5200 feet)
- Vibrant acidity, taste notes of chocolate and honey
- Coffee roast: medium
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador — Brew Coffee The Costa Rican Way
If you enjoy Costa Rica coffee or intend to give it a shot, think of going with the Costa Rica coffee maker. The traditional coffee maker in the region is called Chorreador. Basically, it’s a wooden frame with a sock-shaped cloth placed in the middle. There’s enough room below the sock to place a cup.
This sock acts as the receptor of coffee grinds and the filter. A traditional chorreador can have pretty interesting and vivid patterns and designs. The wooden frame forms a stand and its top is carved to leave room for placing the sock.
Brewing Coffee With The Chorreador
Using the Costa Rica coffee maker is fairly easy and convenient. Here are the steps that go into brewing a cup of coffee.
- Place your cup beneath the sock/filter
- Now put a tablespoon of coffee grounds for every cup of coffee you want to brew. A medium grind is preferred.
- Slowly pour a cup of water into the sock. It’s best to use a gooseneck kettle here. At this point, you can pretty much follow the pour over coffee method for adding water.
- Gradually, the water filters through the sock, and coffee pours down into the cup placed below.
- Enjoy your coffee.
It is good practice to immediately empty the filter of coffee and rinse it off. Worth noting that the filter for Chorreador is called bolsita. The original bolsita should never be washed with a detergent. Once in a while, you can clean it using salt. Just place the bolsita underwater, bring it out and rub some salt on it. Wash thoroughly to remove the salt.
Being a fabric, the filter/bolsita can last a long time. Be sure to take good care of the chorreador.
Cool Facts About Costa Rica Coffee
All Costa Rican Coffee Is Arabica
Arabica coffee is one of the main varieties of the coffee plant. It is generally considered superior for human consumption due to its milder flavor and wonderful taste notes. Concerned about the type of coffee associated with Costa Rica and to ensure only the best coffee gets the Costa Rican name, the country actually passed a law that makes it illegal to grow any other type of bean!
I’m all in favor of higher quality, but this seems like overkill. Nevertheless, the law is what the law is. Apparently, the goal of the law was to encourage local farmers to grow better coffee. With an idea of excellence permeating the coffee growers, the country hoped its reputation as a premium coffee-growing nation would continue to soar.
What Makes Costa Rica So Ideal For Coffee Production?
The tropical climate of Costa Rica usually keeps temperatures in the range of 63 and 80°F. This is the ideal temperature for coffee to grow. Additionally, coffee growth benefits since most of the coffee growing area is a mountain region.
The slopes ensure that there is no waterlogging. Plus, the volcanic soil works wonders for the growth and flavor of the Costa Rica coffee beans. Another factor here is the altitude. The climate and weather conditions remain suitable, allowing the coffee to benefit from high elevation.
There are a total of eight coffee growing regions in Costa Rica. Tarrazu is the most famous, followed by the Tres Rios region. Other notable regions are Monteverde, Tres Rios, and La Amistad. Each region has something important to offer to the coffee production scenario. Yet Tarazzu remains the most famous and followed Costa Rican coffee.
Processing And Taste Of Costa Rican Coffee
The coffee is well-regarded for its taste and flavor. Since Tarazzu happens to be the most famous, let’s take a look at the process involved.
It all starts with the washing process that removes the fruit around the coffee bean. At this point, the coffee takes on a milder flavor and its taste notes begin to come forward. The next step is optional, but involves natural processing that further highlights the fruity flavors available with the coffee.
Honey Processing
Honey Processing is an interesting approach for Costa Rica coffee. In this method, the entirety of the fruit surrounding the bean is not removed. The partially-removed fruit’s inner layer is called honey and/or mucilage. Allowing it to dry on the bean lends it a sweet flavor with low acidity. This eventually forms the stunning Costa Rica coffee all of us so deeply enjoy.
FAQs For Costa Rica Coffee
Why Is Costa Rican Coffee So Good?
The climate and local environment of Costa Rica are greatly beneficial for coffee growth. Its primary coffee growing regions are high-altitude areas with volcanic soil. All of these together are the natural conditions necessary to give coffee a great taste and flavor.
Another thing that helps Costa Rica coffee be so good is that the nation’s government is deeply invested in ensuring the quality of coffee grown in the country.
What Is Tarrazu Coffee?
Tarrazu coffee is coffee grown in the region of Tarrazu in Costa Rica. Though the nation has several coffee growing regions of notable characteristics, Tarrazu is generally considered the best coffee from Costa Rica.
How Much Coffee Does Costa Rica Export?
Though famous for its coffee, Costa Rica contributes a relatively small amount to the global supply. In 2015, the country accounted for 1.1% of the global coffee supply. Though the country produces top-grade coffee, its small size restricts on the maximum amount of coffee that can be produced. According to the same statistics, the country produced 215.6 million lbs of coffee and exported 61%.
The Joys Of Great Coffee
Well, there you have it. The best Costa Rica coffee to take note of and enjoy. The climate and environment of the region play a big part in giving the coffee its spot in the limelight. It helps that the government of the country finds itself deeply invested in ensuring the quality of the coffee grown in the region.
This article covers some cool facts about the coffee and recommendations on the best options available for purchase. And whenever you get the chance, give the good old Chorreador a shot to enjoy coffee the Costa Rican way.