Day 6 | Costa Rica Las Lajas SL28 Natural

This coffee comes to us from the slopes of the Poas Volcano in Alajuela, Central Valley, Costa Rica. The Central Valley region is a high elevation plateau with the Central Mountain Range to the north and the Talamanca Range to the south. The country’s more than 60 volcanoes create fertile, mineral rich soil that is the perfect base for growing high quality coffee.

Las Lajas is a coffee farm and organic micro-mill owned and operated by 3rd generation coffee producers Francisca and Oscar Chacón. The mill is known for its clean facilities and unique innovative processes. Considered pioneers of honey and natural coffees in Central America, the Chacóns consistently produce exceptional coffees. They are also leaders in organic growing and sustainable practices in the region.

Both Francisca and Oscar believe in preservation of the environment and protecting the beautiful natural wildlife of Costa Rica. They helped start the movement from high water usage washed processes towards lower impact honey and natural coffees. Inspired by the 2008 earthquake that cut off the mill's access to water, the Chacóns started experimenting with new processing methods. Their enterprise resulted in coffees with striking flavors that continue to excite and delight the coffee world. Today, water use at Las Lajas is minimal and Francisca and Oscar continue to innovate new ways to lower their environmental impact.

The SL28 cultivar is a specific coffee plant varietal that was developed by Scott Laboratories in Kenya in the 1930s. Their goal was to create high quality coffees that were also robust, drought resistant, and high yielding. Originally only cultivated in Kenya, SL28 is growing in popularity and farmers all over the world are experimenting with it. Due to its unique sweet flavors, it is considered one of the finest coffee varietals in the world today.

For this coffee, only perfectly ripe cherries are carefully hand picked and taken to the micro-mill. There they are meticulously sorted to remove any cherries that are damaged or under ripe, leaving only the best quality cherries with the highest sugar content.

The Chacóns are natural processing experts and their coffees are closely monitored and tested throughout the drying process. The cherries are spread out in thin layers on raised beds to naturally ferment while drying in the sun. They are regularly turned and protected from rain, humidity, pests, and mold. It can take several weeks for the coffee to reach the optimal moisture content. When it measures 11-12% the coffee is considered fully dry.