Last December 2011, Micro mill Jardin de Aromas just initiated the process of depulping, drying and classifying the coffee beans of their own Finca El Quizarra, a coffee family property owned since 1991 by Swiss descendents passionate of coffee. The business has been started first by Carole father, Rolando Zbinden, and as a second generation, now she runs both, the mill and the farm located at 1.370m at Carrizal de Alajuela, Valle Central, Costa Rica. The coffee plants of Catuai y Caturra varieties grow on volcanic earths on the flanks of 2 volcanoes, the Poas and the Barva, which overlook San José city the capital of Costa Rica. As a little garden of 17 hectares, the coffee from the farm is hand harvest from October through February and only the mature red cherries are collected day by day. With extreme careful and neatness on the whole process, and with the quality as a top of mind, as the Swiss way require, this limited production of 400 bags has been process under ecological methods reducing water and energy consumption, as well as taking good care of the waste of the process who returns to the soil as compost. The coffee is every day mechanically fully washed by micro lots, sun dried on the patios and finally mechanically dried to obtain the precise humidity levels required to preserve the seeds. The coffee on parchment lies on the “wineries” on double bags, on an old wood horse barn for at least 4 months before pealing, classification and exportation. Resting is important to settle the oils to balance the coffee seed, in order to obtain a superb quality. This past crop, more than 52 lots from different plots of the farm have been presented to the world as “reserve”.

Origin: Carrizal de Alajuela, Valle Central, Costa Rica

Micromill: Jardin de Aromas

Altitude: 1370m

Variety: Catuai, Caturra

Processing: Fully washed

Cup profile: chocolate aroma with blackberry tones, pineapple acidity and juicy body

Suggested for: espresso 

Espresso recipe

In: 18,5gr 

Out: 38gr 

Time: 24sec