Costa Rica
Tarrazú
Paul Ureña, Verny Navarro, Daniela Gutierrez, Carlos Castro, Leo Mora, Allan Vargas
Various
Catuai, Caturra
Honey
February 2020
Blood Orange, Caramel, Roasted Nuts
1650 meters
n/a
69 kg GrainPro
SOLD OUT
Tarrazú Seis Familias is a collaborative blend involving six coffee producing families throughout the Tarrazú growing region of Costa Rica. Due to the market slowdown caused by the COVID-19 global pandemic, many farmers were left with unsold coffee because of cancelled contracts and the limited sale of microlots. CECA S.A., an exporting partner of Ally Coffee in Costa Rica, had the idea that by combining unsold coffees into different blends it would be possible to still sell these coffees and continue supporting producers through this otherwise challenging time. In the cupping lab they found that these six coffees were the best combination for a blend, and we’re very happy to be able to offer the results of this collaboration.
All of the coffees were Honey processed, which has become very common across the Tarrazú region. The freshly harvested cherries are depulped using eco-pulpers that don’t use any water for the depulping process. The coffee is then set out to ferment and dry on raised drying beds at each of the family’s facilities.
The families and mills who produced the coffees in this blend are:
Micro Beneficio Palmichal: Paul Ureña
Micro Beneficio Vista al Lao: Verny Navarro
Micro Beneficio Montañita de Tarrazu: Daniela Gutierrez
Corporacion Lumal: Carlos Castro
Micro Beneficio Don Amancio: Leo Mora
FADIVA: Allan Vargas
The Tarrazú region lies high in the mountains of the southern Pacific region south of Costa Rica’s capital city of San Jose. This area 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 around 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 Tarrazú are well-suited for agriculture. Smallholders grow bananas, avocado, and citrus as well as coffee on properties passed between generations. The spirit of community and family is strong in Tarrazú, 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.
