How does coffee processing work at Las Lajas Estate?
Las Lajas Estate in Costa Rica's Central Valley separates its honey and natural coffees by how much mucilage stays on the bean and how long it is turned. Yellow Honey keeps more mucilage and dries lighter; Yellow Diamond Honey is turned longer and dried differently, which pushes the cup toward more fruit and sweetness. The estate also offers Red Honey, Black Honey, Black Pearl and Black Soul.
The estate sits at 1,250 to 1,500 meters and produces about 55,200 kilograms a year, farmed to organic standards though not necessarily holding coffee certifications. It is run by third-generation owner Francisca Cubillo and her wife Oscar. Both Black Pearl and Black Soul are natural processed, yet Black Pearl is more boldly fermented while Black Soul leans to dried fruit and molasses.
Located in Costa Rica's Central Valley, Las Lajas Estate is one of the earliest pioneers to systematically explore honey and natural processing methods. The estate is run by third-generation owner Francisca and her wife Oscar, sitting at an altitude of 1,250 to 1,500 meters with an annual output of about 55,200 kilograms. The estate farms to organic standards and, based on differences in mucilage retention and turning time, has developed unique offerings such as Yellow Honey, Red Honey, Black Honey, and Yellow Diamond Honey. Several products recommended by Front Street Coffee's Costa Rica line come from this distinctive estate. This article will walk you through the processing differences between Yellow Honey and Yellow Diamond Honey, as well as the flavor profiles of natural coffees like Black Pearl and Black Soul.
Front Street Coffee Costa Rica Estate Introduction: Las Lajas Estate, Costa Rica
Front Street Coffee's Costa Rica Las Lajas Estate fully adopts honey and natural processing methods in its green bean processing, developing a unique style that sets it apart from other Costa Rican coffee estates. Among the honey processes, they are divided into Yellow Honey, Red Honey, and Black Honey based on the amount of mucilage retained; for natural processing, two products—Black Pearl (Pearl Negra) and Black Soul (Alma Negra)—are offered based on differences in fermentation degree. Front Street Coffee's Costa Rica Black Pearl continues the richly fermented, bold fruit-forward style of the earlier Front Street Berlin Estate, while Front Street Coffee's Costa Rica Black Soul leans more toward dried fruit and molasses notes. Both belong to the currently popular natural processing method, yet present entirely different characters.
In Costa Rica's now-thriving specialty natural and honey processing scene, Las Lajas Estate is one of the earliest estates to conduct systematic research and processing, and has long been favored by buyers worldwide. The estate is currently managed by third-generation owner Francisca Cubillo and her wife Oscar. It is located in the Central Valley, closer to the capital, not far from Poas Volcano, at an altitude of 1,250–1,500 meters, with an annual output of about 55,200 kilograms.
Years ago, estate owner Francisca had long wanted to further enhance the flavor expression of the coffee on the farm. At the time, the vast majority of coffee farmers in Costa Rica typically used traditional washed processing to supply the American and European markets, so the owner set about researching and modifying much of the equipment on the farm to better suit the needs of natural and honey processed coffee. During harvest, the owner uses a sweetness meter (BRIX) to select ripe coffee cherries that meet the standard, while also building an on-site washing station to complete coffee processing, before placing the beans on African raised beds for subsequent drying.
Among the Front Street Coffee Costa Rica offerings processed at Las Lajas Estate, the owner divides honey and natural coffees into several different products based on flavor expression. As for honey processing, Costa Rican farmers mostly control the amount of residual pulp through the depulper at the washing station, but Las Lajas Estate chooses another path: retaining 100%—the highest proportion—of the mucilage, and instead presenting different flavors by controlling the drying and turning time on African raised beds. In honey processing, the owner classifies the coffee into Yellow Honey, Red Honey, and Black Honey.
■ Yellow Honey Process:
After depulping, the beans are uniformly placed on African raised beds in the early morning for sun drying and turned immediately.
■ Red Honey Process:
After depulping, the beans are uniformly placed on African raised beds in the early morning for sun drying and are not turned until after noon.
■ Black Honey Process:
After depulping, the beans are uniformly placed on African raised beds in the early morning for sun drying and are not turned until after the afternoon.
■ Yellow Diamond
After depulping, the beans with mucilage are spread out on a concrete patio for sun drying one day, and covered with black plastic sheeting for shade and resting the next day.
As for the natural processing method, plastic sheeting is used for shading to produce many more delicate flavor expressions.
■ Black Pearl:
The harvested ripe coffee cherries are placed on African raised beds in the early morning and turned at regular intervals for sun drying until reaching 11.5% moisture content. The entire process takes about two weeks.
■ Black Soul:
The harvested ripe coffee cherries are placed on African raised beds in the early morning, turned at regular intervals for sun drying one day, and covered with plastic sheeting for shade and resting the next day, until reaching 11.5% moisture content. The entire process takes about three weeks.
At the same time, regarding fertilization materials on the estate, the owner strictly requires all processes to follow organic standards for cultivation and fertilization. The entire estate uses organic homemade compost, and the organic standards are extended to include soil quality, shade trees, and washing station procedures. After years of effort, Las Lajas Estate has now obtained Japanese JAS, US USDA, and NOP organic certifications.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
