Costa Rica - Cumbres del Poas - Black Honey
We taste: creamed honey, Apple Jacks, chocolate covered raspberries, lilac syrup, soft and juicy pear-like acidity
Producer: Francisca and Oscar Chacón
Region: Sabanetilla, Poás, Alajuela, Costa Rica
Elevation: 1,550 meters above sea level
Process: Black Honey
Varietal: Bourbon, Catuaí, Caturra, and Villa Sarchi
Cumbres del Poas is a certified organic coffee farm in the Central Valley region of Costa Rica owned by Oscar and Francisca Chacón. Coffee has been grown on the farm by the Chacón family for three generations. Like most small-farms in Costa Rica the Chacóns were growing coffee and selling cherries to multinational corporations for processing. In order to keep the farm profitable and to take processing into their own hands the family built an on-site micro-mill in 2006. At that time, coffees from Cumbres del Poas, were mainly washed, as was the norm for Costa Rican coffees.
In 2008 a major earthquake struck the region during the harvest season and left the farm without access to water or electricity (both of which are needed for washing coffee). So, out of necessity, the Chacóns dried their coffee in cherry (natural process). This processing method allowed the Chacóns to differentiate their coffees with cup profiles much different than the usual Costa Rican coffee. Since that harvest, Oscar and Francisca have continued reinventing and refining the methods they use for processing. This has resulted in coffees that are frequently seen in global barista competitions and placing highly in the Cup of Excellence. Cumbres del Poas is now world famous for their coffees processed through their natural and honey methods. These methods not only result in highly differentiated cup profiles but also drastically soften the environmental impact through the extreme reduction of water usage and wastewater production on the farm.
This lot was processed using the black honey process. The process starts with freshly-picked fully-ripe coffee cherries. The Chacóns set their de-pulper to partially remove the cherries from the seeds. The coffee is then dried on raised beds with mucilage (sugars and proteins) and partial coffee skins intact.
The Chacóns manage their drying very meticulously. The coffee is set out on the drying beds to dry in the soft morning sun, moved to a storage warehouse during the hottest and brightest part of the day, in the diffused light of the late afternoon the coffee is moved back to the drying beds before once again being moved to a storage warehouse where it rests in bags for the night. This process results for an extend period of even drying the which gives more sweetness, vibrancy and complexity to the cup. It is important to handle the coffee carefully during transport between drying beds and the warehouse as the idea is to dry the coffee without removing too much mucilage or coffee skin.
Brew Guide
Hario V60 Dripper
This recipe highlights the fresh, floral and raspberry tones along with the soft and elegant pear-like acidity.
We used a bypass brewing method for this coffee as we find that honey processed coffees generally present much better when brewed to a tighter ratio (a bit strong) and diluted with fresh water to the proper brew strength.
Recipe
Coffee: 25 grams
Grind size: 3.5 on the Fellow Ode (medium-fine)
Water: 360 grams at 200˚F
Coffee to Water Ratio: 1:15.56
Brew Time: 3:00
Method
1. Rinse filter
2. Add ground coffee
3. Start timer and saturate grounds with 75g water.
4. Let bloom 30 seconds.
5. Slowly pour another 255g of water on the coffee, taking care to evenly saturate the grounds. You should end up with 330g of water poured.
6. After all water draws down, remove the brewer from your carafe. Add an additional 30g of hot water to the brewed coffee. Swirl carafe and serve.
Brew Guide
This recipe highlights the sweetness and the chocolate raspberry notes were finding in this coffee.
Recipe
Coffee: 20 grams
Grind size: 2 on the Fellow Ode (medium-fine)
Water: 240 grams at 200˚F
Coffee to Water Ratio: 1:12
Brew Time: 1:30
Method
1. Rinse filter
2. Invert AeroPress and add ground coffee
3. Start timer and saturate grounds with 50g water.
4. Stir.
5. Let bloom 30 seconds.
6. Pour another 150g of water on the coffee, taking care to evenly saturate the grounds. You should end up with 200g of water in the brewer.
7. Stir.
8. At 1:00 flip aeropress on to the top of a carafe and slowly and evenly press until all of the water is pressed through the grounds and you hear a small hiss of air.
9. Remove brewer from top of carafe and add 40 grams of clean water.
10. Swirl carafe, pour and enjoy.