Costa Rica Alto San Juan (Filter)

Meet Costa Rica Alto San Juan. Big, boozy fruit from a young producer who's become one of the most experimental processors in Tarrazú.

Alto San Juan Micromill is run by Diego Abarca, a fourth generation coffee grower who took a plot of his family's land, given to him by his father, and turned it into a business of his own. He's been collecting coffee cherries since he was a kid during school holidays, and by 17 he was researching specialty production properly.

These days he's up at 5am, driving out to Finca San Calletano, a farm on a hilltop that sits so high it's often wrapped in cloud. His yields have grown every year, which has given him room to experiment, and he's now one of the more adventurous processors in the region. This lot is his natural, anaerobically fermented, and it's a long way from a standard Costa Rican.

Flavour notes

Berry Liqueur. Grapefruit. Fruit Punch.

A natural process with anaerobic fermentation, where the cherries sit sealed before an extended dry. It's what turns the fruit up loud and gives the cup that liqueur-like intensity.

You've got questions, we've got answers.

Is this only for filter?

Yes. This one's roasted specifically for filter brewing so the fruit stays vivid and the finish stays clean. V60, Kalita, batch brew, Aeropress or a gentle plunger, that's where it belongs.

What's anaerobic fermentation and why does it matter?

The freshly picked cherries are sealed in a container without oxygen for a set period before drying. That sealed environment changes how the fruit sugars break down, and the result is almost always more fruit intensity, more acidity and a bit more body. It's the reason this one tastes like berry liqueur rather than a straightforward berry.

Why does Tarrazú matter?

It's Costa Rica's most famous coffee region, known for high altitude and bright, crisp acidity. A micromill like Diego's means fewer than 1000 bags a year, with the processing done on site rather than handed off to a big mill. More control, more traceability, better coffee.

Is "boozy" a bad thing?

Not here. Boozy means the fermentation has pushed the fruit toward a liqueur-like richness, think berries that have been sitting in something, not a cup that tastes like alcohol. It's intense and sweet rather than sharp. If you usually drink washed coffees, this will be a change of pace, and that's the point.

How does it taste?

Berry liqueur up front, a lift of grapefruit through the middle, and a big fruit punch finish that lingers. Loud, sweet and genuinely memorable. One for when you want your coffee to actually say something.

Specs

Origin: Costa Rica
Region: Tarrazú
Farm/Producer: Diego Abarca, Alto San Juan Micromill, Finca San Calletano
Variety: Catuai
Process: Natural, anaerobic fermentation
Altitude: 1600 MASL
Harvest: December to April

Roasted fresh, dispatched fast.

We roast five days a week and dispatch at 1pm every day. So you get your coffee FAST!