I’m In Love With My Costa Rican Coffee

I will never forget the first time I took a sip of my Costa Rican Coffee. It was a rush of feelings ranging from bliss to doubt and even regret. Regret for all of the years I could have been indulging with my new favorite morning time friend. Let the introspect begin, “What was I thinking all these years?” At least that’s what ran through my mind. The feel of the coffee on my palette was smooth and sweet without the faintest hint of bitterness or acidity. I was head over heels and smitten.

Costa Rica’s rich soil and tropical climate is ideal for producing some of the world’s best coffees. The dark earth is enriched by volcanic ash and has only a slight degree of acidity. The fertile ground is also abundant with organic matter which contributes further to ideal growing conditions for producing superb coffee beans.

This particular Costa Rican coffee was from deep in the heart of the mountains from the Hacienda La Minita Estate. The estate has been producing what many refer to as “the world’s best coffee” for several decades. La Minita translates to “small (gold) mines and can be traced back to the indigenous Indian tribes that used to search the soil for gold in what is today’s plantation fields. But for the farmers of La Minita the sweet berries that are produced are of equal value to the riches found by their predecessors.

Hacienda La Minita is actually a plantation spanning over 283 hectares (700 acres) of prime coffee growing soil. The beans that earn the name “La Minita” are the highest grade produced during a given growing season which usually comes out to 30% of the total crop. Because Hacienda La Minita is an estate (as opposed to a co-op) the coffee beans cannot be certified as Fair Trade. But the workers that tend the fields are paid a premium (30% above the national average) receive health benefits and are offered a pension. As for the production process no herbicides or pesticides are used in the cultivation or harvesting of these prized coffee beans.

So now you might be asking yourself, “Where can I find these precious coffee beans?” Good question. As mentioned previously La Minita coffee is considered both a specialty and premium bean. They can be found in local boutique coffee shops that typically feature organic coffees or on the web. So, if you are the mood for a treat or just want to expose yourself to some terrific coffee find yourself some wonderful Costa Rican coffee and enjoy.

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Ray Forrest, the author, writes for Coastal Roasters, a micro-roaster of organic and fair trade coffees located in Tiverton, RI. They offer a wide variety of organic coffee including Costa Rican Coffee from the La Minita Estate and others through their Coffee of the Month Club.
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