Costa Rica Entre-Rios RFA

During our recent visit to Costa Rica, we were introduced to Diego Robelo, who welcomed us to the Aqiares Estate. This 2283 acre farm is located high on the slopes of Costa Rica’s Turrialba Volcano. Amid this estate is the Aquiares community, where 1800 people live among the coffee and the farm. Once owned by the estate, the homes were offered up to the workers at a discounted price, which allowed the workers to live near their work. Today, 96% of Aquiares workers own their own home, and their children are all educated. Pickers, who are seasonal, can stay in housing on site, and mothers can place their children in day care centers on the estate so they may carry on their workday. Coffee from Aquiares is produced with care for its employees, and with respect for the land and the natural forest which accounts for 20% of Aquiares land. Aquiares was the first Costa Rican coffee farm to obtain Certification from the Rainforest Alliance Climate Module. Aquiares has now been certified Carbon Neutral, and is actually Carbon Negative! Organic buffer zones protect over 30 streams and 50 springs on the property which are the source of drinking water for 3 surrounding communities. Aquiares manages the entire coffee production chain from seedling to the roast profile. This allows for a transparent and traceable chain. The on-site mill or Beneficio was the first to be registered with ICAFE and thus has the ID number #001. We are proud to have made the connection with Diego and Aquiares, and have cooperated with our importers to begin a journey with Aquiares coffee and the Brulerie des Monts. As such we will be offering 3 different coffees from the past year. « Between Rivers », a new coffee that mixes 2 varietals from the same parentage to create a singular cup showing bright acidity, good body and a clean finish, notes of seet and chocolate.

Variety : Marsellesa & Red Obata ( both timor hybrid x Villa Sarchi)
Location of plot : Section 7 Re-14, Aquiares, CR
Altitude : 1070-1175 Mts
Process : Washed
Harvest : Nov. 2017 to Feb. 2018
Average cherry quality when picked : Unripe : 0.3%, Partial Ripe : 2%, Over-ripe : 8.5%
Micro-lot Details: Maximum of 5 category 2 defects & 0 category 1 defects. Specialty preparation, mimimum density 680g/L Bean size : 90% > screen 16
Humidity : 10.5 % – 11%