COSTA RICA TARRAZU | April 2023
BEAN OF THE MONTH - APRIL 2023 | COSTA RICA TARRAZU
Introducing our April Bean of the Month Tarrazu, which comes from the region with the same name, the Tarrazu region. This is a delicious coffee from one of Costa Rica's most renowned coffee-growing areas.
THE TARRAZU REGION IN COSTA RICA
Tarrazu, a region located in the central highlands of Costa Rica, is known for its lush mountainsides and optimal coffee growing conditions, including high altitudes and fertile soil.
Generations of expert specialty coffee production have given Tarrazu a reputation for superb quality, complex flavours, and delicate floral aromas.
Merlo regulars will recognise the name: this is not the first time we’ve sourced specialty coffee from this region for our Bean of the Month, and it’s also the origin of Sol Naciente, one of our Limited Edition Caribbean Trios.
The Tirra Estate, where this Bean of the Month comes from, is a research station owned by Coopetarrazu - a union of coffee growers which develops, produces and grows high quality sustainably produced coffee.
This coffee is a product of their experimental microlots, grown with the aim of keeping Costa Rican and Tarrazu coffee right at the cutting edge of specialty coffee.
TARRAZU TASTE PROFILE
This exceptional natural-processed coffee has a unique floral aroma, with nuanced notes of hibiscus and coffee blossom. Upon drinking, there is a sweetness that is reminiscent of apricot and honey, as well as some brighter tropical fruit flavours.
Costa Rica Tarrazu has a heavy body, giving it a full and rich mouthfeel, balanced by an acidity similar to that of a blood orange - bright and refreshing.
And finally, in the aftertaste, sparkling lingering sweetness that complements the other flavours well.
BREWING TIPS FOR THIS BEAN OF THE MONTH
The big body of the Costa Rica Tarrazu lends itself naturally to an Aeropress, so pick up some light roast and try a shorter brew time to balance the weight with the exceptional blood orange acidity.
For a little more emphasis on the floral notes, take that light roast and switch to a pourover to bring through the hibiscus and blossom, which really sing together with the blood orange and tropical fruit - creating a brew almost like a fruit flavoured pastille.
When roasted darker for an espresso machine, the sweetness is amplified and the flavours become dense and rich. Try the Tarrazu with milk to lift the apricot notes, or just enjoy the honeyed fruit richness of an espresso as it is.
These layers of flavour and texture are a joy to explore and we hope you have time to savour this month's offering - a brilliant example of superb natural processing and expert coffee production.