Costa Rica Finca Casa de Piedra

Where in the world?

WHAT’S THE STORY?

I mean, sometimes the tasting notes just say it all. Let me add that as well as juicy blackcurrant, and the gentle citrus finish of nectarine, we were finding some really delicious dark cherry and raspberry notes. As an espresso, that vanilla note permeates from start to finish and it’s also just pure Blackforest gateau…which is an excellent nostalgia reference but also a wonderful flavour to find in an espresso! 

Finca Casa de Piedra is one of two farms operated by Cafe Directo, a family business founded in 2013 by father and daughter team, Gerardo and Jennifer Arias. The farm is dedicated to the production, processing, and marketing of the finest Costa Rican Tarrazú coffees in harmony with the environment. Directo’s vision is to contribute with the development of our society through fair and ethical trade. 

Café Directo has reduced the use of pesticides by 75% to be more friendly with the environment and to improve our soil. More than 85% of the coffee farm is under shade trees and provides a home for many animals and natural springs.

The unique conditions on the farm – in particular its microclimate and soil type, as well as elevations up to 1,800 masl – allow for a wide range of varieties to flourish. From what we can find out about this Venecia varietal, it’s a natural Bourbon mutation discovered near the town of Venecia in the North of Costa Rica. It was then watched over by the Costa Rica Coffee Institute who selected individual plants through successive generations. It ripens late in the picking season, which allows plenty of sugar to develop in the fruit which would account for the deliciously rich coffee 

Cherries are selectively harvested by hand to select only ripest. These are then separated by floatation to further select only the densest, highest quality cherries for processing. These cherries are then depulped, fermented and washed, followed by drying on a mixture of raised bed and patio for an average of 8 days. After drying the coffee is rested in parchment prior to secondary processing at the farm (hulling, sorting, grading)

Brewing Recipe