CoopeTarrazu RL was founded in 1960 with a capital investment of $5,800 from 228 small coffee growers. Today, they run the biggest wet mill of Costa Rica, processing more than 110,000 bags of green coffee from 3,000 producers. About 85% of the producers affiliated to the coop harvest four hectares or less.
Its success is based on looking after small producer´s interests, and providing other services to its members such as credit, agronomical and technical advice, sustainable prices, fertilizers, among others. The coop has also diversified about 45% of their portfolio in other areas such as gas stations, supermarkets, harware stores, and such.
In 2013 the Managing Body of the cooperative decided to invest in it’s own farm as a project for producing small specialty lots. The coffees currently being grown and exported from the Tirra Farm are honey and natural processed. The coffee we’re drinking today is a natural.*
Welcome to my Table, here in the corner of this cafe. Today we’re sipping the Costa Rica CoopeTarrazu, from Broom Wagon Coffee in Charleston, South Carolina. Feel free to pull up a chair.
THEDETAILS:
region: Tarrazu, Costa Rica
farm: Tirra Farm
producer: smallholder farmers
association: CoopeTarrazu RL
elevation: 1400 – 1500 meters above sea level
cultivars: Caturra, Catuaí
process: natural
CUPPINGNOTES
The aroma of Costa Rica CoopeTarrazu is very clean, fragrant, and delicate. Florals and herbs mix with dark fruits, citrus, and brown sugar. There are so many interesting things happening, just in the aroma. Jasmine, juniper, dark berries, tangerine…
Taking my first few sips of the cup immediately post-brew, its flavor is proving itself to be every bit as complex as its aroma. The coffee has a medium body with a somewhat creamy mouthfeel, and its initial flavors are really unique for a Costa Rican offering. It’s not as bright and lively as Costa Ricas I’m used to – it’s sweet, sugary, and features a lot of those dark berry, dried fruit, and citrus from the aroma. Muscavado, maple syrup, plum, raisin, cranberry, winter berry, black cherry, tangerine, hazelnut… More prominently, however, I’m tasting the herbal and floral notes of juniper, pine, and jasmine tea. The coffee has a dry finish, and a mild astringency.
FINALTHOUGHTS
This was such an interesting – no, fascinating – coffee. It was so unique and complex; so unlike what I was expecting it to be. Costa Rican coffees are usually so bright and lively, with prominent citrus, red berry, and nut flavors. I haven’t had much experience with a Costa Rican coffee being characterized by brown sugar and dark berries, or one that was herbal, nutty, and woody.
Broom Wagon Coffee’s Costa Rica CoopeTarrazu featured both of those unique profiles in one cup! It was such a completely unique, singular cupping experience that – I must confess – I didn’t trust my own palate the first four or five times I brewed it and delayed this review because of it.
If you have the opportunity to try this coffee, I urge you to. Your taste buds are in for a real adventure.
*content courtesy of Cafe Imports
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Andrew is a husband, father, dog lover, craft beverage enthusiast, content creator, and niche market Internet celebrity. Formerly of A Table in the Corner of the Cafe and The Pulitzer Project and contributor to Barista Magazine and Mental Floss, he’s been writing on the Internet for years.