LAVA CAKE: Costa Rica, Honey Process

This beautiful Costa Rican coffee is sweet and chocolatey with just the right amount of citrus to make things interesting. It has a silky texture and smooth lingering aftertaste that will have you immediately reaching for another cup, and another one after that. ☠️ 

Tasting Notes: Molten Chocolate, Caramel, Sweet Valencia Orange

Cup score: 87.0 ☕

Process: Yellow Honey

Variety: Villa Sarchi

The coffee was produced by Marianella Baez Jost from The Farmers Project and Café con Amor in Naranjo, Costa Rica. Café Con Amor means "Coffee with Love" and the cup quality reflects the care and attention Marianella gives to her coffees.

Last year, we had the chance to sample her legendary villa sarchi variety produced with a yellow honey processing method. Unfortunately when we tried to purchase, it was sold out. This year, we made sure to secure the coffee well in advance!

This coffee was purchased via Direct Trade by our green coffee purchasing company WE THE ORIGIN.

About Café con Amor and The Farmers Project

Café Con Amor, which means "Coffee with Love", is a high-altitude farm in the mountains of Costa Rica, owned by Marianella Baez Jost and Jonathan Jost.

Jon and Marianella took a chance on life. They gave up their successful careers and comfortable lifestyle in the United States and purchased a coffee farm in the mountains of Naranjo. There was risk, and there was challenge. But, there was also passion and adventure.

With the professional expertise of their coffee engineer, Adrian, and the hard-earned wisdom of their loyal farm worker, Chevo, they dove into each phase of the seed-to-cup journey from planting, soil analysis, water and shade management, soil nutrition, harvest, wet mill and dry mill process to exporting their beans. By working with each phase of the process, Jon and Marianella ensure 100% chain of custody of their coffee.

Marianella is committed to moving the coffee industry forward. She's a member of the Board of Directors of the International Women's Coffee Alliance (IWCA).

After experiencing first hand the hardships of coffee farming, and seeing the daily struggles of the farmers, Marianella also decided to help other local farmers achieve their own dreams and established The Farmer's Project. This initiative helps other farmers in Costa Rica to produce top quality coffee and build long-term direct trade relationships.

We highly recommend you check out the above links and Café Con Amor on Instagram to learn more about the impact Marianella is having on the coffee industry.

About this Yellow Honey Villa Sarchi lot

The volcanic soil in Naranjo, Costa Rica is perfect for growing Caturra and Villa Sarchi varieties of specialty coffee. Growing under the shade of orange, mango, níspero, guaba, lemon, guayaba and sweet plantain, these tropical trees add rich organic material that transfer to the aroma, complexity and citrus notes of this beautiful coffee.

The final product is a clean cup with a smooth honey sweetness, citrus tones, and balanced acidity.

TRANSPARENCY REPORT

☠️ Single Origin from Costa Rica

☠️ Region: Naranjo

☠️ Producer: Marianella Baez Jost, Farmers Project

☠️ Farm: Café con Amor 

☠️ Roast: Light/Medium

☠️ Brew: Filter/Espresso

☠️ Varietal: Villa Sarchi

☠️ Process: Yellow Honey

☠️ Tasting notes:

• Molten Chocolate
• Caramel
• Sweet Valencia Orange

☠️ Altitude: 1450 masl

☠️ Harvest: March 2021 

☠️ Whole bean