Costa Rica Montano Anaerobic Honey

Tasting Notes: Apple Jacks, cinnamon, berries

Processing: Honey Anaerobic

Producer: Various producers; Montano micro-mill

Location: Tarrazu, Costa Rica

Altitude: 1200-1750masl

Varietals: Caturra; Catuai

Bio:

Beneficio San Diego, Costa Rica’s most innovative and largest private mill, acquired Montano Micro Mill with a plan to take experimentation to the next level. Montano is led by Juan Ramon, a local producer with a strong reputation for high quality. Under his direction and with Volcafe support, Montano is set to become a high-powered lab where research towards new processes can thrive.

The Anaerobic process begins with the selection of handpicked ripe, red coffee cherries. Selecting the cherries when they are at their ripest ensures a high sugar content, which helps feed the anaerobic process.

At the mill, the coffee is depulped with a portion of the mucilage left intact. From there, the coffee is put in air-tight, stainless-steel tanks with the mucilage left on. The absence of oxygen stimulates an anaerobic fermentation process. The process develops in a unique series of acids such as lactic and malic, which results in a very complex flavor. Once the coffee has been fermented sufficiently, it is dried to 11.5% moisture and rested to allow complex and exotic flavors to develop.