Costa Rica - Don Eli - White Honey

Presta has been sourcing coffee from the Don Eli Farms for years. Selva Coffee (the importer) was started by the daughter of the Montero Family, and her husband, an Arizona local who worked with Presta when it first opened at Mercado San Augustine. Her father Carlos has been growing coffee his entire life, taught by his father who grew it before him. Presently Carlos' son, Jacob, handles all of the specialized coffee processing on the farm bringing the third generation of the family farm full circle, preserving traditions while also keeping up with the changing landscape that is the coffee world.

Honey Processing is when the coffee cherries have their skin removed along with varying amounts of the fruit matter (or mucilage). The fruit that remains on the coffee seed (bean) changes through enzymatic reactions and oxidation, encouraging the bean to develop different flavor compounds depending on how long the fruit matter is left on the seed. We classify the different amounts of time based on the color changes to the mucilage; white, yellow, red, or black. White, meaning the bean was exposed for the shortest amount of time before the mucilage is removed, and black meaning the bean was left until the mucilage had completely darkened, and dried, before removal. The name Honey comes from the sticky quality that the fruit matter left on the bean has before it dries.

The coffee we chose from the Monteros this year is a White Honey process, with a minimal amount of oxidation and changes happening to the bean before being washed. Once the washing process is done the beans are dried in the shade on raised beds encouraging the even drying process that is necessary. The result of this process is lovely dried fruit notes.

Origin: Costa Rica
Region: San Marcos de Tarrazu
Farmer: Carlos Montero
Farm Size & Elevation: 7 Hectares, 1800-1900 MASL
Varietal: Catuai
Processing Method: White Honey
Tasting Notes: Green Apple, White Tea, Jasmine, Orange Rind.