Costa Rica San Cristobal Red Honey

The San Cristobal farm is in the West Valley region, part of the San Ramon co-op. They "honey processed" this lot of coffee by hand which means the "honey" (the fruit pulp) was left on the coffee bean in order to give it extra flavor and sweetness.

This coffee has a lot of complexity for a honey processed bean. The undertones of citrus, cocoa powder, and cherry make the coffee easy to drink. It has a soft mouthfeel, great body, and a clean finish. The coffee overall is smooth and sweet.

By definition, a honey coffee contains more of the sugars of the coffee fruit, so it is a delicate bean that is susceptible to scorching. This particular one is tougher than I expected and not as finicky as some of the previous honey coffees we've stocked, but still, if you take it to a fast dark roast, you'll scorch it. Try to nudge the heat up gently, evenly, give it plenty of time to get through the 1st cracks, maybe wait 30 seconds more, let it out. City roast is a sweet spot for this bean, but you can go a little darker if its personal preference. If you have a way to control the exhaust fan on your roaster, try letting the smoke mingle with the beans more to give it another layer of flavor.

US Arrival: August 2023