Central American Natural Anaerobic

Natural anaerobic: Fully ripe cherries are taken to the mill, where the floating cherries are separated. Next, the highest-quality cherries are placed in plastic barrels, the fermenting liquid (which contains a culture of microorganisms) is added, and the tank is sealed. The temperature and pH are checked twice a day, and once a pH of 4.3 is reached (after 1–2 days), the fermentation process is stopped and the coffee is sent to the sun-drying greenhouses.
Sun-drying: 2 days of pre-drying on a ceramic floor, 10–15 days on raised African beds, at temperatures ranging from 28°C to 40°C. Final mechanical drying in Guardiola, 1 day. Stored in GrainPro bags for 6–8 weeks; kept in dry parchment form until hulled prior to export.

Aquiares is owned by Diego Robelo and his family. Situated on the slopes of the Turrialba volcano at 1,400 MASL, it is the largest single-block coffee plantation in Costa Rica. The land is crisscrossed by various waterways that connect the two major rivers surrounding the farm, the Turrialba and the Aquiares. It is a majestic natural setting that was home to a small pre-Columbian community hundreds of years ago, and traces of which can still be found today. This is the tenth consecutive year we’ve worked together, and the ninth in which we’ve dealt directly.

We negotiate the price directly with Diego, and he acts as the exporter, so that commission also stays on the farm. Additionally, we import the coffee ourselves, chartering a container directly from Costa Rica to Barcelona.

When replicating this recipe, there are various variables that can affect the final result of your cup, such as the roast date, how the beans were stored, the environment, the water, the condition of the equipment, and so on. It’s important to keep in mind that all these factors can have an impact, and you may need to make minor adjustments when replicating this recipe.