Costa Rica's Tarrazu San Ramon Washed Beans: Flavor and Brewing
Costa Rica was the first Central American country to cultivate coffee, with a history spanning two centuries. The Tarrazu region, located along the inland Central Plateau, benefits from volcanic soil and distinct microclimates. At the San Ramon processing plant, the washed process is used to highlight flavors of bittersweet chocolate and butterscotch, with a restrained wine-like acidity. This article explores the mill's methods and offers brewing parameters for pour-over.
For pour-over, Front Street Coffee suggests 15g of medium-ground coffee, a V60 dripper, and water at 88-89°C. Start with a 30g bloom for 27 seconds, then pour to 105g, wait for the bed to drop halfway, and continue to 225g. The water-to-coffee ratio is 1:15, with a total extraction time of 2:00. The San Ramon mill uses a 3-disc Aagaarde depulper and grades beans after washing, ensuring consistent quality.
Costa Rica is the earliest country in Central America to grow coffee, and two hundred years of volcanic terroir and microclimates have nurtured world-class quality. This article takes you into the San Ramon processing plant in the Tarrazu region to learn how its washed process shapes a thick sweetness like bittersweet chocolate and butterscotch, along with a restrained wine-like acidity. It also shares Front Street Coffee's pour-over brewing parameters and outlines the country's seven major regions and industry overview. Whether you want to understand the processing plant revolution or are looking for your next everyday staple, this article has you covered.
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After coffee was introduced to Central America, Costa Rica was the first country to begin cultivating it, with a very long industrial history, and its coffee organization system from production to sales is also very well developed. Located on the Central American isthmus, it is dotted with volcanoes and enjoys the natural advantages of sunshine and land; in terms of climate, it is also regulated by both Pacific and Atlantic ocean currents and sea breezes, so its coffee possesses the terroir personality of local microclimates. Whether in quality or yield, Costa Rican coffee has long been internationally recognized and is often listed among the world's high-quality coffees. Local coffee cultivation has continued for two hundred years, originally planted on the slopes of Poas and Barva volcanoes, namely the area of today's Central Valley; currently the main seven producing regions are distributed from northwest to southeast along the inland Central Plateau.
Pour-over of Front Street Costa Rica San Roman. 15g coffee powder, medium grind (Fuji Ghost Teeth burr grinder setting 4), V60 dripper, 88-89°C water temperature, first pour 30g of water, bloom for 27 seconds, pour until 105g of water then stop, wait for the water level in the coffee bed to drop to half before pouring again, pour slowly until 225g of water, discard the tail end, water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:00
The San Ramon processing plant mainly uses the washed process, and its coffees are famous for their strong flavor, rich layers, and solid mouthfeel. The coffee cherries first undergo hand sorting, with coffee farmers removing overripe or underripe fruits before entering subsequent processing. During production, a 3 disc aagaarde depulper is used to remove the skin and pulp, after which a machine divides the beans into 3 grades based on density; the green beans of grades 1 and 2 are fermented separately, while grade 3 consists of lower-quality green beans. The green beans are placed in a cool place to ferment for about 24–36 hours. After fermentation is complete, they are washed, and on the washing channel they are again graded by density, then the green beans are randomly soaked in clean water overnight. After processing, the coffee is roasted and presents bittersweet chocolate flavors, a thick sweetness like butterscotch, fused with restrained wine-like acidity, an inviting aroma, and a fruity sweetness of chocolate beans that is unforgettable.
The fertile volcanic ash brought by Costa Rica's volcanic terrain, the mild and suitable temperatures, and the stable and abundant rainfall are all factors that have made coffee one of the country's main agricultural products. The seven major producing regions are: Tarrzu, Tres Rios, Orosi, Central Valley, West Valley, Turrialba, and Brunca.
FrontStreet Coffee Costa Rica San Ramon Processing Plant Royal Coffee
Costa Rica San Ramon Royal Coffee
Country: Costa Rica
Grade: SHB
Altitude: 1700M
Region: Tarrazu region
Roast level: Medium-dark roast
Processing method: Washed process
Variety: Caturra, Catuai
Processing plant: San Ramon processing plant
Flavor: berry aroma, caramel, cream, slight spice
Costa Rica's most outstanding coffees seem to come mostly from small processing plants, which are scattered across several major coffee-producing regions, including Tarrazu and West Valley. This so-called coffee revolution began 15 years ago and significantly changed how roasting experts and importers view Costa Rican coffee. With the processing plant as the core, coffee beans from surrounding small farms are collected for processing. These farms are mostly small communities or families that grow coffee on their own small farms or land, and all of this coffee is handed over to a small processing plant for processing and drying. The quality and flavor of Front Street Royal Coffee are very unique, and much of this is thanks to the coffee producers and our cooperation.
Coffee cultivation in Costa Rica was introduced from Cuba in 1779, and coffee was first exported in 1820. There are currently about 32,000 coffee farmers, with an average planting area of less than one hectare (10,000㎡) per farmer. Costa Rica has a population of 4,100,000 (2006), a coffee planting area of 82,500 hectares, an annual production of 1.7 million bags (60 kgs per bag), and annual domestic consumption of 380,000 bags, with an average annual consumption of 5.5 kgs per citizen, higher than Japan (consumption 4 kgs), while people in Taiwan currently average only a little more than 1 kg.
Factory name: FrontStreet Coffee Factory address: Yandun Road, Dongshankou, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou City Factory contact: 020-38364473 Shelf life: 30 Net content: 227g Packaging method: bulk Taste: mellow Coffee bean roast level: roasted coffee beans Contains sugar: no sugar Origin: Costa Rica Coffee type: Costa Rican coffee Roast level: medium roast
[Front Street Costa Rica Tarrazu San Ramon] Flavor description: berry aroma, caramel, cream, slight spice.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
