Costa Rica Naranjo La Rosa

The Naranjo Valley of Costa Rica is "blessed for coffee," which is to say it enjoys perfect growing conditions. The 4 farms of La Rosa produce this delicious coffee which has delicate aroma, mild body and sweet flavors of brown sugar, tangerine and plum.

Arrival Date: April 27th, 2018

Acidity & Brightness: Slightly bright and very sweet

Balance & Finish: Balanced with a refreshing finish

Body & Texture: Medium, velvety mouthfeel

Flavors: Brown sugar, tangerine and plum

Grade: SHB (Strictly Hard Bean)

Processing: Fully washed hand picked and sun dried.

Varieties: Caturra and Catuai

Roasting: We like our Costa Rican coffees on the lighter side of medium (City Plus) but if you find the cup too bright for your liking, you can roast it as high as Full City (medium) to take that down a notch. This coffee roasts very evenly.

Reminder: This coffee is raw, you must roast it before brewing!

Our Review: Costa Rican coffee always ranks high in the wide world of Central American java, but the Naranjo Valley is particularly blessed. It's high altitude, volcanic soil, predictable annual rainfall and temperatures all combine to make it absolutely ideal for coffee growing. In 1960, a group of coffee producers came together to create the Naranjo Coffee Growers and Multiple Services Cooperative, LLC, in order to pool their efforts for coffee processing. They purchased their own mill and implemented measures to improve coffee quality and production in addition to educating the members about sustainable farming practices and providing agricultural technical assistance. "La Rosa" is a special crop which comes from only four farms in the Coop and has been selected for it's especially delicious cup.

We'd be hard pressed to remember a Costa Rican coffee we didn't like, but this one definitely stands out to us as being in the top 5 we've had in the past several years. Often, there's too much lemon and the acidity is a bit too bright, but this coffee balances it's brightness with deep sweetness (with depth, think flavors like plum). It's refreshing, yet not too crisp and the body is mild and gentle without being watery. The notes of brown sugar, tangerine and plum are sweet, but not cloying and overpowering, though we'd certainly recommend trying it first without sugar if you usually add sugar. If you're a fan of Central American coffees, you can't miss a chance to try this one!