Description
Costa Rica Brumas del Zurqui Micromill – Finca Don José
Region Heredia, Central Valley
Country Costa Rica
Process Natural
Varietal: Villa Sarchi (rare varietal)
Elevation 1400-1800 MASL
Farmer : Juan Ramón Alvarado Rodríguez
the Cup: Mild burnt sugar, brown sugar, jammy blackberry, and cooked plum flavours with mellow complex acidity and sugary sweetness.
Country: Costa Rica
Brumas del Zurquí Micromill – Finca Don José – Villa Sarchi – Natural
Coffee was introduced to Costa Rica in the late 1700s and became a major export by the 1820s. Infrastructure improvements, like the 1846 road to Puntarenas, enabled efficient transport to market, initially via oxcarts.
In 1933, Icafe (Instituto del Café de Costa Rica) was established to support the industry. Funded by a 1.5% export tax, it oversees research, quality, and regulation, and ensures farmers receive 80% of the FOB price.
Although Costa Rica produces under 1% of global coffee, it is known for consistent quality. Regional diversity defines its profiles: Tarrazú offers high acidity; West Valley grows varieties like Villa Sarchi, Villa Lobos, SL-28, and Gesha; Tres Ríos is known for softer, sweeter cups; Central Valley produces standout natural coffees.
Producers increasingly use varietal selection to differentiate, with SL-28, Gesha, Villa Sarchi, and Venesia gaining prominence.
Farm: Brumas del Zurquí Micromill
Beneficio Brumas del Zurquí is a micromill in Costa Rica’s Central Valley, in the sub-region of Heredia, where neighboring farms deliver their coffee cherries for processing. The mill works with several varieties, including Villa Sarchi, SL-28, Bourbon, Gesha, Typica, Caturra, and Orange Bourbon. It is managed by Juan Ramón Alvarado Rodríguez and his family, fourth-generation coffee producers who began modernizing their processing methods and expanding their infrastructure around 2003–2004. They have also established a cupping lab and roastery to monitor and elevate quality.
