How Does the Coffee Beans Process Shape Finca Canet Bach?

Costa Rica Bach coffee beans come from Finca Canet in the Tarrazu region at 1,980 meters and are of the Caturra and Catuai varieties. A raisin honey process and a medium roast profile give the cup tropical fruit, berry-like sweet-and-tart notes and a caramel aftertaste. The beans belong to the Costa Rica Musician Series, alongside Beethoven, Mozart and Chopin.

The coffee beans process starts with variety, altitude and processing method, and green coffee beans from Finca Canet are fermented anaerobically before drying. Different yeasts and sugars during fermentation produce different flavors, which is why beans from the same estate can taste so unlike each other. V60 brewing with steady pouring brings out the fruit and caramel notes.

Among the Costa Rica Musician Series launched by Front Street Coffee, the Bach coffee beans display a rich fermentation aroma and dried-fruit sweetness through their unique raisin honey processing method. These beans come from Finca Canet in the Tarrazu region, at an altitude of 1,980 meters, and are of the Caturra and Catuai varieties. Front Street highlights their tropical fruit, berry-like sweet-and-tart notes, and caramel aftertaste through a medium roast profile. This article provides a complete analysis of the flavor code and brewing key points of these Bach coffee beans—from the estate background, processing method principles, green bean analysis, roasting recommendations, and cupping performance to V60 brewing parameters—offering coffee lovers a practical reference for tasting and brewing.

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Coffee lovers have surely heard of Front Street Coffee's Costa Rica Musician Series coffee beans. Finca Canet in Costa Rica launched Front Street's Musician Series coffee beans, including Front Street Beethoven coffee beans, Front Street Mozart coffee beans, Front Street Bach coffee beans, and Front Street Chopin coffee beans, each with its own unique flavor characteristics. Clearly from the same estate, why are the flavors all different? Front Street Coffee believes that specialty coffee has three basic conditions: variety, altitude, and processing method.

During green bean processing, there is a step called anaerobic fermentation. Research is currently exploring the fermentation effects of yeast on green coffee beans and the final flavor during anaerobic fermentation, and what different flavors are produced by different yeasts fermenting with sugars; while naturally sun-dried coffee beans also present multiple flavors such as floral, fruity, and fermentation aromas in the green bean, and this processing method was originally one of the ways specialty coffee showcases regional flavor. Alright, back to the article title. In this article, Front Street will talk about the Front Street Bach coffee beans from the Costa Rica Musician Series—from the estate, processing method, and green bean analysis to how Front Street roasts these Front Street Bach coffee beans, then cupping and brewing, to see how the Front Street Bach coffee beans perform.

Country: Costa Rica

Region: Tarrazu

Altitude: 1,980M

Processing method: Raisin honey processing

Grade: SHB

Variety: Caturra, Catuai

Finca Canet

Finca Canet is a small estate covering 5 hectares, located in the town of San Marcos in the Tarrazu region. Tarrazu is the main coffee-producing area of Costa Rica and one of the world's major coffee-producing regions. The coffee-growing soil is very fertile and well-drained. This region has the highest average latitude and excellent climate and soil conditions, which have established Tarrazu's famous status among Costa Rican coffee beans. Coffee beans from this area mostly use honey processing. The sweetness and berry aroma will absolutely amaze you, with quite good sweetness, body, and thickness, and a ripe-fruit flavor similar to dried banana.

Finca Canet is located in the highest-altitude coffee-growing area of Tarrazu, Costa Rica. It is owned by the family of three brothers, the Robles brothers Leo, Elian, and Melvin, who have worked together in planting and production for more than 10 years and also share a small wet processing plant (Beneficio). The estate owner mainly grows passion fruit, while the coffee quantity is quite scarce, with coffee planted in only one specific area under special care, picking only ripe red cherries. It is precisely because of this careful selection that the coffee beans produced by the estate have high sweetness and a lasting sweet sensation.

Raisin honey processing method

The raisin honey processing method is a process that retains 100% mucilage and uses zero water. It increases the difficulty of the honey processing method, which requires strict control of timing. On the day the coffee cherries are harvested, the harvested coffee fruit is poured into a large water tank. The ripe, full fruits sink to the bottom; underdeveloped or overripe fruits float to the surface, and these floating beans need to be removed. The selected coffee fruits are placed on raised beds to dry for at least three days, then the cherry skin is removed, and after retaining the mucilage, they are dried again. At this stage, climate factors are the key to successful honey processing.

During the drying process, these coffee cherries must be turned constantly to ensure even drying, but the turning frequency must be well controlled. Drying must be slow to ensure the coffee undergoes fermentation processing, but not so slow that over-fermentation occurs. This sweet raisin honey processing method gives the coffee a white wine-like mouthfeel and balanced acidity, and the fermentation aroma is also relatively rich. Front Street believes that coffee beans processed with raisin honey have a rich fermentation quality and the sweetness of dried fruit.

Coffee bean varieties

Caturra: A natural mutation of Bourbon, discovered in Brazil in 1937. Its tree is not as tall as Bourbon, but shorter. Because it inherits Bourbon's lineage, its disease resistance is relatively weak, but its yield is higher than Bourbon's. Although discovered in Brazil, Caturra is not suitable for growing in Brazil, so it is not planted on a large scale there. Instead, it is widely popular in Central and South America. For example, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua all plant Caturra on a large scale.

Catuai: A coffee variety artificially hybridized from Caturra and Mundo Novo. Catuai inherits Caturra's short tree size, does not require shade, is easy to grow, and is convenient to harvest. It also has better resistance to natural disasters than Mundo Novo. In terms of flavor, it has good acidity. Catuai generally presents two types: red fruit and yellow fruit.

Green bean analysis

These Front Street Costa Rica Bach coffee beans are of the two most common varieties in Central and South America: Caturra and Catuai. The green beans smell of fermented fruit aroma. Observing the green beans, the beans appear dark green, the altitude is around 1,950M, the bean texture is relatively hard, and since it is from the 2019 harvest season, the moisture content of the beans is relatively higher. In terms of roasting method, a gradual reduction of heat and extended dehydration time are used to climb this curve. Considering that this "Front Street Costa Rica Musician Bach" uses raisin honey processing, the designed roasting degree is medium roast, mainly to highlight the fermentation aroma and fruit aroma of these Front Street Bach beans, while also preserving the balanced and full mouthfeel of honey-processed beans.

Front Street roasting recommendations

Yangjia 800N, bean charge 300g: charge when the drum temperature reaches 180°C, set airflow to 3, heat to 120. At 109°C adjust heat once, set airflow to 4, and raise heat to 140. At 137°C adjust heat once, lower heat to 100, roast until 6'15", temperature 151.5°C, the bean surface turns yellow, the grassy smell completely disappears, and dehydration is complete. At the 8th minute, ugly wrinkles and dark streaks appear on the bean surface, and the toast smell clearly turns into coffee aroma, which can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this time, listen clearly for the sound of the first crack. At 9'40" first crack begins, open the airflow fully, first crack development time 1'45", and drop the beans at 196°C.

Front Street cupping report

This Front Street Costa Rica Bach smells like the fermentation aroma of rice wine, and tastes of ripe tropical fruit, the sweet-and-tart sensation of berries, nuts, and creamy flavor, with a caramel aftertaste and a faint floral finish.

Front Street brewing parameters

Dripper: V60 #01

Water temperature: 90-91°C

Dose: 15g

Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15

Grind size: BG6m / caster sugar size (sift powder with a No. 20 sieve to 80%)

Front Street brewing method: First pour 30g of water for a 30-second bloom, then pour 95g (the electronic scale shows about 125g), completing the pour in about 1 minute. When the water level drops to 2/3 of the coffee bed, pour the remaining 100g (the electronic scale shows about 225g), completing the pour in about 1'45". Dripping is completed at 1'56", remove the dripper, and extraction is complete.

Brewed flavor: A faint wine aroma, full and solid acidity, with a sweet sensation similar to raisins; after the temperature drops slightly, a tea-like quality stands out, and the finish is sugarcane sweetness, lasting and delicate.

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The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.