COSTA RICA COFFEE

Coffee grown in Costa Rica typically comes from Heredia, Alajuela, Tarrazu, and Tres Rios.  This coffee is actually complex, in that it has everything and lacks nothing.  You will experience a full bodied and robust thickness in Costa Rica coffee, making it a popular choice.  Grown primarily in the countryside around San Jose, the coffee is delicious and definitely worth buying.

One of the most important factors in determining flavor of Costa Rican coffee is altitude.  For example, coffee beans grown above 3,900 feet are hard whereas those grown between 3,300 and 3,900 are good hard.  One of the differences between Costa Rican coffee and other countries is that it is generally identified by the farm or estate where the coffee is grown.  The downfall of this is that only the importer or roaster is privy to this information, not the consumer.  Even so, it is not necessary to become so enthralled with names and labels because the taste of Costa Rican coffee is still hearty and rich.

Today, you will find new coffee plants that need more direct sunlight but the result is three times the production of what you would find with a traditional coffee plant.  With this, the way in which coffee is grown has changed.  One of the primary industries in Costa Rica is coffee, as well as bananas and tourism.  However, coffee is still a huge export, especially to America.

Interestingly, the production of coffee in Costa Rica presents to specific environmental challenges.  First has to do with river pollution that is caused by coffee producers dumping waste products into rivers and streams.  In fact, 57% of coffee beans are comprised of contaminants that can have a negative affect on fauna, as well as people.  Second, the new plant that grows in direct sunlight requires more sun, thus there is a loss of trees and soil erosion.

Even with such challenges, Costa Rican coffee is popular around the globe.  Its unique and enjoyable flavor creates a great cup of coffee perfect in the morning or any time of the day.  Because of the hearty richness and lively acidity, this coffee is pleasing to all types of people for all types of situations.