Costa Rica
Tarrazú
Luis Anastasio Castro
Juanachute - El Papal lot
Catuai
Washed
December - March
Berries, Lemon Peel, Floral, Milk Chocolate, Roasted Hazelnut
1800 meters
N/A
69kg with liner
SOLD OUT
The Juanachute micromill was one of the first mills of its kind. Luis Anastasio Castro, better known as Tacho, was an early adapter to the micromill model; many other micromills have learned from his efforts. The Juanachute operation consists of several different plots throughout the Los Santos region and a mill close to the town of San Pablo. At the micromill, the entire process is controlled. From planting the coffee trees to sealing the jute bags of green beans, it is all under the supervision of Don Tacho.
The Castro family also owns a small roastery and coffee shop in the town of San Pablo. One of Tacho’s sons, Luis Anastasio (named after his father), is responsible for launching the barista education program in the local high school with 30 graduates each year. Luis Anatasio also competes in the Costa Rica barista championship proudly serving coffee from Juanachute.
Don Tacho is proud of his farms, his mill, and the final coffee products made with Juanachute coffee, and takes the greatest care in maintaining all three. Ally has been partnered with Juanachute since 2018, buying both microlots and larger volume lots. We are delighted to continue our partnership with Juanachute, and to continue connecting Don Tacho, his family, the team at Juanachute, and their coffees with roasters across the world.
The Tarrazú region lies in the high mountains of the southern Pacific region south of Costa Rica’s capital city of San Jose and is one of the most densely planted high altitude regions in Central America, with many farms at or above 2000 meters above sea level. It is locally known as “Zona de Los Santos” for the number of towns with “San” or “Santa” in their names.
Tarrazú’s climate is characterized by two well-defined seasons; a rainy season lasting seven months (May through November) and a dry season (December through April). This encourages uniform coffee blossoming. On average, precipitation is between 2,400 millimeters (94.5 inches) per year, with an average annual temperature of 19°C (66.2°F).
The fertile, volcanic soils and rolling mountainsides of Tarrazu are well-suited for agriculture, and smallholders grow bananas, avocado, and citrus as well as coffee on properties passed between generations. The spirit of community and family is strong in Tarrazu, with producers caring for their land with pride. Many farms in Tarrazú include primary forest and some degree of shade trees interspersed with coffee and producers take care to protect the natural water sources that spring up from the mountainsides.
