Costa Rica - Las Lajas Micromill - Alma Negra

Notes: Delicate mouthfeel with lots of tangy fruit acidity, papaya, raw sugar, coffee cherry, raspberry and rich chocolate flavors.

We are super proud to be able to provide this remarkable coffee to you. It holds a special place in our heart as the first coffee we assisted with from harvest at the farm. Our Founder and Director of Coffee traveled to Costa Rica to help cup and evaluate the initial crop that made this coffee!

Oscar and Francisca Chacon of Las Lajas Micromill are third-generation coffee producers who are committed to quality and innovation, and are probably best known for being among the first to produce honey coffees in Costa Rica. The micromill is also one of the only certified-organic mills in the area, and the Chacons take their environmental impact very seriously.

As average temperatures rise and the weather patterns change, the Chacons are considering adding more shade trees to their farm to moderate the heat, and to add irrigation systems to combat the inconsistent rainy seasons Costa Rica has had the past few years. To mitigate their water usage, Oscar uses a Penagos demucilaginator to depulp his coffee, and since the coffees are all natural or honey process, very little water is used at the mill.

Harvesting and processing are overseen with great care by both Oscar and Francisca. During the harvest, Francisca will measure the Brix of the cherry to determine the optimal ripeness, and picking will begin when the Brix reads about 22°. Harvesting by Brix reading is also helpful as newer varieties sometimes ripen to different colors: Using the refractometer helps keep the harvest at uniform ripeness, which is key when producing high-quality naturals and honeys.