Notes: Almond biscotti, cherry, oolong tea
Origin: Costa Rica
Region: Tarrazú
Producer: 20 Smallholder farmers
Varietal: Caturra, Yellow Catuai, & Red Catuai
Process: Honey
Meters Above Sea Level: 1500–1600
Weight: 12 oz
Despite the name and the resulting flavor notes, honey process coffees do not involve actual honey at all in the processing. After the beans are picked, the coffee is pulped (this one using water-free eco-pulpers), then fermented to remove the mucilage before being dried and milled. The name was born from the resulting pre-dried, pulped coffee which is sticky and sweet like honey. Honey process lands somewhere in between a washed and natural process coffee in terms of actual processing technique as well as cup characteristics.
This honey processed lot was grown in the mountainous region of Tarrazú, by producers in the charming community of La Esperanza. The producers are composed of 20 smallholder farmers who best represent the coffee in this nano-region of Tarrazú. Premiums are paid to these producers for their picking practices, bringing only the ripest cherries, which is time consuming when compared to strip picking, but is essential to a great coffee. Once picked, the coffees are brought to the Palmichal Micromill, a mill known for processing incredible microlots.
When the coffee arrives to the mill, it is first floated to sort out low density cherries, and then depulped, leaving 50% of the mucilage on the parchment. Drying begins on cement patios for 5 days, and then finished in mechanical dryers that don’t exceed 37.5℃. Once dried to 10.5% moisture, the coffees will rest for 2 months before being hulled out of the parchment. Once hulled, Palmichal puts the green coffee through screen, density, and color sorting.