Where Is Costa Rica Blueberry Coffee From and How Is It Roasted?

The blueberry coffee comes from Costa Rica's Brunca region in the south, home to Mega Stone Estate, where mountain ranges extending toward Panama create varied microclimates. The green beans arrive with intense blueberry sweetness and rose fragrance, and the roaster tested three curves and cupped each to find the most balanced profile.

Brunca coffee cultivation dates to the late 19th century, beginning around Perez Zeledon. The estate takes its name from indigenous stone spheres carved roughly between 200 BC and 1500 AD and found nearby. Bourbon, a natural Typica mutation with round beans and bright acidity at high altitude, forms part of the variety mix processed with anaerobic heavy honey.

Front Street Coffee recently acquired a batch of blueberry coffee beans from Costa Rica's巨Stone Estate; the green beans exude an intense blueberry sweetness and rose fragrance. To fully showcase the flavor potential of these beans, the roaster team designed three different roasting curves and conducted cupping trials on each, striving to find the most balanced roasting profile that best reflects the terroir. This article will guide you through the terroir background of the Brunca region, the variety composition and anaerobic heavy honey processing method of巨Stone Estate, and present in detail the roasting parameters of the three curves and the cupping flavor differences, helping coffee enthusiasts gain a deeper understanding of the charm of these beans.

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The factory has newly acquired a batch of coffee beans: Costa Rica's Mega Stone Blueberry coffee beans. Upon opening the green beans, there is a strong blueberry sweetness and rose fragrance. In order to better showcase the flavor of these coffee beans to everyone and allow everyone to better taste the flavor of this coffee, Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) roasters roasted this coffee with three curves and conducted cupping, selecting the best and most balanced flavor profile. Below, Front Street will introduce it to everyone.

Brunca Region & Mega Stone Estate

Brunca is located in southern Costa Rica and comprises cantons such as Coto Brus, Buenos Aires, and Pérez Zeledón. Coffee cultivation in this region dates back to the late 19th century, first beginning in the Perez Zeledón area, and it is now one of Costa Rica's six major socioeconomic regions.

Mega Stone Estate is located in the Brunca region of southern Costa Rica, where the terrain and mountain ranges extend toward Panama, creating rich and diverse microclimatic conditions. Around the estate, stone carvings made by indigenous people between 200 BC and 1500 AD have been excavated, known as "mysterious stone spheres," and the estate is therefore named "Mega Stone" (巨石).

Coffee Varieties

Bourbon is a natural mutation of Typica. After the coffee cherries mature, they turn wine-red, and the beans are relatively round. Bourbon grown at high altitudes typically has better aroma and bright acidity, with a flavor reminiscent of red wine.

Catuai is a coffee variety artificially hybridized from Caturra and Mundo Novo. Catuai inherits Caturra's short tree stature, does not require shade, is easy to grow and convenient to harvest. It also has better resistance to natural disasters than Mundo Novo. In terms of flavor, it has good acidity.

Anaerobic Heavy Honey Processing

Anaerobic heavy honey processing first involves selecting fully ripe coffee cherries, then removing the skin while retaining the pulp and mucilage, placing them in sealed tanks and introducing carbon dioxide, with the room temperature controlled at 10-15°C for anaerobic low-temperature fermentation. After anaerobic fermentation ends, it enters the second stage of honey processing fermentation.

After anaerobic fermentation, the coffee beans with skin and pulp are placed on mesh drying beds for drying, and the temperature during drying must not exceed 40°C. After 8 hours of drying, the coffee cherries are placed in a greenhouse to rest for 12 hours, and this process is repeated over 20~25 days. Once the green coffee beans reach a moisture content of 15%, the green beans are placed in an inner bag with an outer cloth bag and then left to rest in a cool, ventilated place for one month, until the moisture content of the coffee beans drops to 11%.

Front Street Roasting Approach Roaster: Yangjia 800N [Curve One]

Charged at 175°C, heat power 130, airflow opened at 3; turning point at 1'36", when the temperature reaches 140°C, open airflow to 4, heat power unchanged; when the temperature reaches 148.8°C, the bean surface turns yellow, the grassy smell completely disappears, entering the dehydration stage. When the temperature reaches 176°C, adjust heat power to 100; when the temperature reaches 180°C, adjust heat power to 60, airflow at 4; at 9'50", the bean surface shows ugly wrinkles and dark patches, and the toasted bread aroma clearly turns into coffee aroma, which can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this time, listen carefully for the sound of first crack. First crack begins at 9'56", adjust airflow to 5, develop for 1'35" after first crack, and drop at 193°C. [Curve Two]

Charged at 175°C, heat power 130, airflow opened at 3; turning point at 1'42", when the temperature reaches 140°C, open airflow to 4, heat power unchanged; when the temperature reaches 149.7°C, the bean surface turns yellow, the grassy smell completely disappears, entering the dehydration stage. When the temperature reaches 176°C, adjust heat power to 100; when the temperature reaches 180°C, adjust heat power to 60, airflow at 4; at 10'00", the bean surface shows ugly wrinkles and dark patches, and the toasted bread aroma clearly turns into coffee aroma, which can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this time, listen carefully for the sound of first crack. First crack begins at 10'07", adjust airflow to 5; when the temperature reaches 191°C, adjust heat power to 30, develop for 1'50" after first crack, and drop at 195°C. [Curve Three]

Charged at 175°C, heat power 130, airflow opened at 3; turning point at 1'42", when the temperature reaches 140°C, open airflow to 4, heat power unchanged; when the temperature reaches 150.1°C, the bean surface turns yellow, the grassy smell completely disappears, entering the dehydration stage. When the temperature reaches 176°C, adjust heat power to 100; when the temperature reaches 180°C, adjust heat power to 60, airflow at 4; at 10'00", the bean surface shows ugly wrinkles and dark patches, and the toasted bread aroma clearly turns into coffee aroma, which can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this time, listen carefully for the sound of first crack. First crack begins at 10'10", adjust airflow to 5; when the temperature reaches 191°C, adjust heat power to 30, develop for 1'15" after first crack, and drop at 192°C.

Cupping Flavor One: rose, fruit gummy, fermented wine aroma, blueberry, mint (fruit acidity and floral notes are relatively prominent)

Cupping Flavor Two: rose, grape, blueberry, fermented wine aroma, caramel, astringency, mint (with astringency)

Cupping Flavor Three: rose, citrus, green grape, fermented wine aroma, blueberry, mint (with sharp acidity)

Comparing the three curves, [Curve One] is the more suitable roasting curve for Mega Stone Estate Blueberry, and I believe everyone will really enjoy this flavor.

For more specialty coffee beans, please add the private WeChat of Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee), WeChat ID: kaixinguoguo0925

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