Coffee is one of the world’s most popular drinks. In fact, some even claim it is the most widely consumed liquid in the world, aside from water.
It isn’t difficult to understand why people love the popular drink; it’s warm and comforting, has a delightful aroma, and is bursting with earthy, rich flavors.
There is one particular type of coffee bean that connoisseurs claim rivals all the rest, and that is the Costa Rican coffee beans. Let’s take a look at what makes the best Costa Rican coffee!
What’s So Special About Costa Rican Coffee Beans?
Costa Rican coffee beans grow in a tropical climate, and the beans thrive in the high altitudes and warm temperatures. The country has only two seasons: the dry season and the rainy season, but both provide ideal coffee plant growing climates.
Another factor is that the soil in Costa Rica is enriched by volcanic ash, which actually oxygenates the plant and beans, which many believe gives them bolder, richer flavors.
Many coffee bean farmers claim that the climate, altitude, and soil create the perfect environment for the coffee plant to flourish. This, in turn, provides better tasting beans.
Costa Rica’s Coffee Production
Costa Rica is the 15th largest coffee growing country in the world. There are about 80,000 small scale coffee bean farmers in Costa Rica.
As a matter of fact, their beans are so popular, the ever-growing Starbucks coffee company owns its own coffee farm there, where it gets a great deal of their beans from.
Coffee beans are such a cash crop in Costa Rica that the locals often refer to the beans as the “golden bean.” The most popular coffee from Costa Rica actually comes from the Tarrazu region. It is the largest region there, producing up to 35% of the nation’s coffee!
How Do Costa Rican Coffee Beans Taste?
The best high-grown coffee beans of Costa Rica are distinguished and notable for their full body, fruity acidity, and clean taste. There are different types of Costa Rican coffee beans too.
The country is known for processing coffee in one of 3 ways; washed, natural, or honey. Washed coffees are the most common type. They put the coffee bean fruit into a wet mill, and the fruit is then forcefully removed by means of water and machines. These washed coffees have notes of honey, chocolate, and even fruit.
The naturally processed coffees go through no cleansing, and have a thicker body to them, as well as containing notes of berries or citrus.
The honey processed coffees are sort of in-between the washed and the natural. Only part of the fruit is left on the bean to create a different kind of flavor.
The honey processed coffee beans have less acidity to them, and therefore, have a much sweeter flavor. They have small hints of fruit as well.
Conclusion
It is easy to see why the Costa Rican coffee bean tops all other types of coffee beans. Their superior growing locations, their intricate preparation and processes, and their exquisite taste keep this bean, rightfully, in the highest demand.
