Costa Rica Coffee
Costa Rica leads in honey and natural processing innovation. Tarrazú and West Valley produce some of the cleanest, sweetest cups available.
- Typical flavor
- Honey, citrus, clean acidity
- Altitude
- 1,200–1,900m
- Harvest
- November–March
- Processing
- Washed · Honey (white, yellow, red, black) · Natural
Growing regions
- Tarrazú
- West Valley
- Central Valley
- Tres Ríos
- Brunca
Common varieties
- Caturra
- Catuai
- Villa Sarchi
- Geisha
A bit of history
Costa Rica banned all non-arabica coffee in 1989 to protect quality. Micro-mill innovation in the early 2000s — particularly in honey processing — put Costa Rica at the forefront of small-lot specialty coffee.
What to know about Costa Rica coffee
Costa Rica is unusual in coffee policy: the country legally bans the cultivation of robusta and any non-arabica species, which has kept the entire export pipeline focused on quality. The micro-mill revolution that began in Tarrazú around 2000 changed how the country processes coffee — hundreds of small farms now operate their own washing and drying infrastructure rather than selling cherry to large mills. That shift produced the four-color honey processing scale (white, yellow, red, black) that Costa Rica popularized, where the amount of mucilage left on the bean during drying directly tunes the sweetness and body of the finished cup.
Best brew methods for Costa Rica
- Pour over for honey-processed clarity
- Light roasts
- Single-origin filter
4 coffees from Costa Rica
Swamp Water Roasting Co.
Pura Flip Flops Vida - Costa Rica (Vol II)
Costa Rica · Medium · Washed
Floral, Citrus, Chocolate
Aldo's Coffee Co
Costa Rica Single Origin (Medium Roast)
Costa Rica · Medium · Natural
Citrus, Orchard Fruit, Chocolate
Greenwood Lake Roasters
Costa Rican Organic
Costa Rica · Medium · Washed
Citrus, Chocolate, Sweet / Sugar
Double Barrel Roasters
Costa Rica
Costa Rica · Medium · Washed
Chocolate, Sweet / Sugar
Roasters sourcing Costa Rica
Frequently Asked Questions
What is honey-processed coffee?
A processing method where the skin is removed but some or all of the mucilage stays on the bean during drying. Costa Rican honey processing produces yellow, red, and black variants depending on how much mucilage remains.
What is a micro mill?
A small processing facility — sometimes a single farm — that controls washing, fermenting, and drying for individual lots. Micro mills enable the small-batch experimentation that defines modern Costa Rican specialty coffee.
Best roast for Costa Rican?
Light to medium-light to preserve the honey-processed sweetness and citrus character.