Costa Rica — Pura Vida in a Cup
Pura Vida, the quintessential saying that encapsulates Costa Rican Culture in a few words, translates to many aspects of Costa Rica’s culture and life. “Pure Life” is something that you might hear as a greeting, thank you or as a way of explaining how you are feeling. If you find a great cup of coffee that’s ‘Pura Vida’ in a cup. More than just a saying, it’s a way of life, and this translates into the way Costa Rica produces its coffee.
“El grano de oro”, or the ‘golden grain’ benefits from Costa Rica’s volcanic soil, dry and rainy seasons, as well as favorable tropical environment with high altitudes (ICAFE CostaRica). The first Central American country to produce coffee, production dates back to 1779 (Cafe Imports), after coffee arrived in America, via Martinique, Antilles in 1720, where the first Coffea Arabica species (Typica variety) were planted in the new world. Legend has it that in 1816, a priest, Father Jose Felix Velarde took coffee beans to San Jose, and encouraged his community to grow coffee, and upon his death requested it be taken as far as Panama (ICAFE-Costa Rica). Subsequently, in the 19th century, the government promoted the production of coffee by giving away land, and soon coffee surpassed cocoa, tobacco, and sugar production as a major revenue source.
Photo by Etienne Delorieux on Unsplash
In 1989, the government banned Robusta varieties of coffee, more typical in blends. Productive Catimores were also banned. Only Arabica beans are legal in Costa Rica, and interestingly it is the only country in the world with such a ban.
Why such an emphasis on Arabica? Due to the fact that Costa Rica’s total volume of coffee is over 70% specialty (Coffee Speciality Institute). Arabica beans are higher in fats and possess increased sugar content, and these traits lend themselves to consistently improved aroma, flavor, and body, with less bitterness and a smoother mouthfeel. However, the varietal alone does not tell the whole story. According to interviews I have heard from coffee farmers, the way coffee is grown has a large impact on flavor, and Robusta can still produce a good cup. Yet, for its preferred qualities, Arabica is still the king of coffee. Arabica beans fetch a higher price, often touting superior cups at a risk. Arabica varietals are more difficult to grow as they are more susceptible to disease — due to their lower caffeine content; an interesting fact is that caffeine is a natural pesticide. Robusta being much higher in caffeine is much more resilient to pests, and as the name suggests easier to manage. Arabica generally grows at higher altitudes, which also makes it more difficult to cultivate.
Another unique thing about Costa Rican coffee is the way farmers are paid — rather than being paid by weight, farmers are paid by volume — this is because ripe coffee cherries are bigger and heavier than if they are under or over-ripe, so it will take fewer cherries to fill a container, or fanega and a higher price to the farmer (Cafe Imports).
Image by Dana Fallentine @danafalle
When visiting Costa Rica, you may also find and bring back new way to brew coffee, using a Chorreador. This coffee method uses an elongated, re-useable filter with fine to medium ground coffee. It is basically a modified version of a pour-over, and takes the same concept, in other words, you pour hot water slowly over the coffee grounds. If you want to make this kind of coffee, you dry the cloth bag between uses, and wash with salt once a month(not soap). The use of a re-useable cloth filter also makes it eco-friendly. Making a Chorreador might be a fun wood and sewing project, or you can buy the beautiful wood one:
Costa Rican Coffee Regions & Flavor Profiles
The typical Costa Rican coffee is light-medium bodied with a clean mouthfeel, featuring mild acidity, and floral notes of honey, vanilla, peach, and chocolate. Think your perfect morning cup of coffee- bright and acidic, Costa Rica comes to mind. But there are many different, new flavor profiles emerging thanks to innovations from micromills, like honey processing.
Central Valley — The high-altitude of Central Valley was the first region where coffee was planted historically, specifically in San Jose. The region benefits from volcanic soil, sun and plentiful rainfall. The cup generally has fruit, honey and end notes of chocolate.
Tres Ríos — This region enjoys lush soil from nearby Volcano Irazu, and is commonly referred to as the “Bordeaux” of Costa Rica due its delicate balance of acidity and fruit flavors.
Turrialba — Another region that enjoys volcanic soil from an active volcano.
Brunca — A humid, tropical climate gives this coffee complex citrus flavors and ranges from mild to sweet.
Guanacaste — This mountainous region produces a smoothier mouthfeel and a light acidity.
West Valley — Flavors here range from honey, to vanilla, orange and peach.
Orosi — A humid climate and green valleys produce smooth, balanced coffees.
Tarrazú — Known to produce the best coffee beans of the country. Recently they began producing Gesha coffee made popular in Panama. An interesting fact is that Tarrazú Gesha coffee (From Finca Palmilera) was the most expensive coffee sold at Starbucks using Clover French Press in 2012. The Gesha varietal originated in Gori Fesha Forest in Ethiopia, and has received much acclaim. What makes Gesha coffee special? It is known for its floral and exotic fruit notes including guava, mango, citrus, papaya, lime and might include a beautiful aroma of bergamot, jasmine and/or rose. End notes might feature chocolate, vanilla, or dried fruit.
Photo by Esteban Venegas on Unsplash
Coffee Speciality & Innovation
With its emphasis on speciality coffee, its no surprise that Costa Rica has been known to produce some of the world’s best coffee. Costa Rica takes great pride in their coffee production and has been a leader in coffee innovation, in large part due to their creation of independent micro-milling, allowing the farmer more control over production. During the 2008 earthquake, in response to the shortage of water, Costa Rican farmers innovated to create honey-processing, a hybrid between wet and dry processing, as I discussed in a prior blog on honey processing.
In 2018, a honey-processed Gesha coffee from Costa Rica broke the Cup of Excellence auction record fetching $300 per pound! This coffee was from Don Cayito farm, grown by Luis Ricardo Calderon Madrigal, and was sold to Japanese coffee companies. The prior highest-earner was an experimental yellow bourbon from Brazil. Cup of Excellence hopes to de-commoditize the coffee industry by differentiating and rewarding farmers producing top coffees. Costa Rican farmers signed an agreement that they only process ripe fruit, and do selective harvesting manually, improving cup quality (ICAFE — Costa Rica). Many farms use sun-drying which is generally has a higher demand, but is labor intensive. The goal is to produce beans with “quality over quantity” (ICAFE Costa Rica).
COSTA RICAN COFFEE & INNOVATION
Costa Rican coffee farmers are looking to the future of coffee farming. Many farms have been forced to abandon their farms due to decreased returns in a global market which has increasingly lowered the price of coffee — the high demand for coffee has led to a up surge of lower quality robusta coffees flooding markets, leaving some countries producing higher-quality arabica beans unable to keep up with competition.
Arabica coffee, in particular, can be finicky, as it is sensitive to disease, pests, rainfall, and temperature, and coffee farmers have felt the impacts of climate change with things like fungus and disrupted flowering (WRI 2019). This coupled with other issues like coffee rust, which according to Cornell University is “the most economically important coffee disease in the world, and in monetary value, coffee is the most important agricultural product in international trade’“(Arneson 2011) has caused many significant issues requiring change. Coffee rust, unfortunately has no cure, and the fungus can adapt itself to resistant genes (Koehler, NPR 2018). Despite these challenges, Costa Rican farmers are forming new alliances, to eliminate the middle man and try to reap more profits — where normally the coffee harvest is taken to processor or local coffee collective, instead these farmers in Coto Brus, known as “Exportaciones Aromas Coffee” are commercializing their own coffees by talking directly to buyers and consumers (Tye & Grinspan, WRI 2019).
According to the World Resources Institute, these farmers collectively negotiate things like social and environmental certifications, such as an ecological certification for shade grown coffee from the government, called Programa Bandera Azúl Ecológica, which encourages eco-sustainability and recycling of waste produced by farms.
Finding ways to market their speciality coffees directly to buyers through Cafinter, an export company allows the farmer more control over prices. In addition, farmers in Coto Brus were able to successfully establish their own processing plant, allowing individual processing and sampling to negotiate directly with buyers.
Photo by Frames For Your Heart on Unsplash
Micromiling & Differentiation
This practice of individual farmers owning their processing, or “micromilling” allows higher prices and traceability to individual farms, an integral part of the ‘farm to cup movement’ that is developing out of sheer ingenuity. These so-called, “micromills” have helped Costa Rica differentiate itself in the world market, and cut operating costs by sharing communal equipment (Cafe Imports). One such innovation, honey processing originated in Costa Rica, which I explained in a prior blog. These processing centers allow for farmers to produce specialty lots with honey processing (yellow, red, or black) with varying levels of mucilage and use different drying techniques.
In the words of one farmer in the World Resources Institute article,
“I love my farm,” shared 31-year-old farmer and collective member Lainekel Zamora. “It’s very noble. What needs to be done is to adapt oneself, see what the best options are for production and commercialization. The idea is to export finished products with traceability, and that a consumer in Japan can see through a link on their phone where that coffee came from, for them to learn about its environmental and social impact.”
With support from coffee buyers and consumers, the future of coffee can be different — and these farmers can yield a return on their efforts as they try to innovate to meet the demands of the global economy, while continuing to produce artisanal products worthy of attention. These farmers are creating a blue-print for the future of the coffee industry. As they work towards a more sustainable future and differentiate Costa Rican coffee in the world market — let’s support them!
I can’t wait to visit Costa Rica one day and enjoy their sense of “Pure Life” or “Pura Vida”, but for now I can enjoy a cup of coffee and be transported there.
Image by Etienne Delorieux @etiennedelorieux
References:
Arneson, P.A. 2000. Coffee rust. The Plant Health Instructor. DOI: 10.1094/PHI-I-2000–0718–02 Coffee Rust. Updated 2011. Accessed at https://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/disandpath/fungalbasidio/pdlessons/Pages/CoffeeRust.aspx
Koehler, J. Coffee Rust. 2018. Threatens Latin American Crop; 150 Years Ago, It Wiped Out An Empire October 16, 2018 NPR. Accessed at https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/10/16/649155664/coffee-rust-threatens-latin-american-crop-150-years-ago-it-wiped-out-an-empire
Tye, S. and Grinspan D. Coffee Farmers in Costa Rica Are Brewing Up Solutions to Climate Change and Competition. World Resources Institute September 11, 2019. Accessed at https://www.wri.org/blog/2019/09/coffee-farmers-costa-rica-are-brewing-solutions-climate-change-and-competition
***********************************************
Miriam Cliffford is a freelance writer, she launched Coffee Senorita as a passion project, to learn about coffee, and share the good things communities in the coffee industry are doing locally and globally. You can find her @thecoffeesenorita and @thecoffeelads on instagram. She also runs a page at www.coffeesenorita.com
