Costa Rica may not be a volume giant, but Costa Rican coffee holds a major place in the specialty world. The country’s reputation is built on Arabica at its core, along with a long period of restrictions on Robusta planting — and on the distinctly different flavor styles found across its growing regions.

In this guide, you’ll learn the background of Costa Rican coffee, how variety policy and industry structure shape what gets planted, how key regions differ in cup profile, and how the country’s grading system works.

 

Costa Rican Coffee: History and Today’s Industry

Coffee planting in Costa Rica dates back to 1779. Commercial production began in 1808, and the country made its first recorded export—shipped to Panama—in 1820.

The following year, Costa Rica’s government recognized coffee’s economic potential and actively promoted planting—reportedly even distributing coffee seedlings for free.

By 1829, coffee export revenue had surpassed sugar, cacao, and tobacco, becoming a central driver of the national economy.

By the mid-19th century, expanding trade with the United Kingdom brought stronger British commercial ties and access to financing that helped the coffee sector grow. Coffee wealth later supported major public works—most notably the Railway to the Atlantic and the National Theatre in San José.

Today, coffee remains an important crop in Costa Rica, with a specialty reputation built on refined, detail-forward flavor.

According to the 2025 Coffee Annual, Costa Rica’s green coffee exports are primarily shipped to the United States, Belgium, Germany, South Korea, and Japan.

 

Arabica Varieties in Costa Rica: What ICAFE Recognizes

According to ICAFE (the Costa Rican Coffee Institute), the following Arabica varieties are recognized for planting nationwide: Caturra, Catuaí, Obatá, Venecia, Catigua MG2, Geisha, Typica, Marsellesa, Villalobos, Villa Sarchi, Costa Rica 95, and F1 hybrids.

There is no strict legal requirement on which Arabica a farmer must plant. However, because the industry relies heavily on ICAFE, growers who want technical support or to join guidance programs typically need to plant ICAFE-recognized varieties.

Under these tighter conditions, the system can help steer Costa Rica’s coffee sector toward quality-driven development.

ICAFE has also noted that Costa Rica maintained long-term restrictions on Robusta planting. The idea was to protect export reputation by keeping the focus on Arabica quality. This policy—often described as lasting roughly three decades—limited production and increased costs, but it also became a powerful marketing narrative. The restrictions were lifted in 2018.

Three factors are often cited behind the shift: (1) climate change has made Arabica farming more challenging, (2) potential Robusta zones could create local jobs, and (3) global demand for Robusta has continued to grow, making its economic impact hard to ignore.

Even with permission to plant Robusta, the rules are strict: it may only be grown in approved areas, only authorized Robusta varieties may be used, and Robusta must be kept fully separate from Arabica throughout production to protect Arabica’s value.

As of September 2025, Costa Rica still shows no commercial Robusta data, suggesting it remains in a research or early-stage phase and not yet large enough to appear in standard commercial statistics.

 

Costa Rican Coffee Regions and Flavor Profiles

 

Tarrazú / Los Santos

Tarrazú / Los Santos focuses on Arabica, often grown on valley floors and mountain slopes with shade from companion trees. The soils are described as slightly acidic sedimentary formations, and the climate has clear wet and dry seasons—typically May to November for rains and December to April for the dry period.

In the cup, Los Santos coffees often show a sucrose-like sweetness and honeyed tones, with jasmine-like aromatics and notes that can read as orange, vanilla, dried fruit, and chocolate.

• Altitude: 1,200–1,900 m
• Annual rainfall: 3,400 mm
• Average temperature: 18°C
• Relative humidity: 84%
• Harvest season: Nov–Mar

 

Valle Occidental

Valle Occidental is planted mainly with Caturra and Catuaí, with smaller pockets of Villa Sarchi in some areas.

Coffee here grows on slopes along the western Central Mountain Range. Fertile volcanic soils and diverse microclimates contribute to complex profiles, often associated with orange, peach, honey, vanilla, and chocolate-like notes.

• Altitude: 700–1,600m
• Annual rainfall: 2,500mm
• Average temperature: 21.5°C
• Relative humidity: 81%
• Harvest season: Oct–Feb

 

Tres Rios

Tres Rios is a smaller region shaped by Pacific airflows and the influence of Irazú Volcano. Its mineral-rich soils hold water well, supporting healthy root systems and steady nutrient uptake.

Flavor-wise, Tres Rios coffees are often described as having a refined, balanced acidity, a long finish, and a fuller body.

Because much of the coffee is classified as high-quality Strictly Hard Bean (SHB), Tres Rios is sometimes nicknamed “the Bordeaux of Costa Rica”—a comparison to France’s famous fine-wine region.

• Altitude: 1,200–1,650 m
• Annual rainfall: 2,250 mm
• Average temperature: 21°C
• Relative humidity: 80%
• Harvest season: Nov–Mar

 

Guanacaste

Guanacaste sits between the Central Volcanic Range and the Guanacaste Mountain Range, spanning parts of Guanacaste, Puntarenas, and Alajuela. In Alajuela, coffee growing is concentrated mainly around Sarapiquí and San Carlos.

Because average temperatures are higher here, shade-grown cultivation is common to reduce heat stress on coffee trees. Coffees from this region tend to show softer acidity, moderate body, and a round mouthfeel—sometimes with a distinctive salty edge and a bittersweet finish.

• Altitude: 600–1,300 m
• Annual rainfall: 2,100–3,500 mm
• Average temperature: 26°C
• Relative humidity: ~50–70%
• Harvest season: Jul–Feb

 

Turrialba

Turrialba lies near the active Turrialba Volcano in a valley setting, with soils made up largely of volcanic and alluvial deposits. Some of Costa Rica’s earliest coffee farms were established here.

In the cup, coffees are known for gentle acidity, delicate aromatics, and a lighter overall profile.

• Altitude: 500–1,400 m
• Annual rainfall: 2,800 mm
• Average temperature: 23°C
• Relative humidity: 82%
• Harvest season: Jul–Mar

 

Orosi

With over a century of coffee history, Orosi is among Costa Rica’s oldest producing areas. Located in a valley, it includes protected forest zones that help keep the local climate less affected by development.

Orosi’s climate is influenced by both Caribbean (Atlantic) and Pacific airflows, with a long rainy season—about seven months, from May to November—making it a wetter growing area. These conditions are associated with larger bean size and profiles that lean chocolaty with a more elegant acidity, balancing sweetness and body.

• Altitude: 1,000–1,400 m
• Annual rainfall: 2,500 mm
• Average temperature: 20°C
• Relative humidity: 82%
• Harvest season: Sep–Mar

 

Brunca

Brunca includes Coto Brus, Buenos Aires, and Pérez Zeledón.

• Coto Brus: higher elevation and humid conditions; the local economy relies heavily on coffee.
• Buenos Aires: located at the foothills of La Amistad International Park.
• Pérez Zeledón: among the earliest coffee-growing areas within Brunca, with varied microclimates that support more complex flavor.

Overall, Brunca coffees can vary widely—from smoother profiles at mid-to-lower elevations to higher-elevation lots with greater sweetness and more complex citrus tones, often with jasmine-like aromatics.

• Altitude: 600–1,700 m
• Annual rainfall: 3,500 mm
• Average temperature: 22°C
• Relative humidity: ~80%+
• Harvest season: Aug–Feb

 

Valle Central

Valle Central spans multiple provinces and includes the capital, making it the country’s most densely populated area. It was also one of the earliest regions where coffee developed before production expanded into other areas. The terrain creates distinct wet and dry seasons, and volcanic ash contributes to nutrient-rich soils.

Coffees from Valle Central are known for strong balance—often showing fruit, honey, and chocolate-like notes. Acidity can be lively, while body ranges from medium to fuller depending on elevation.

• Altitude:
  ~80% of growing area at 1,000–1,400m;
  ~20% at 1,200–1,900m
• Annual rainfall: 2,500mm
• Average temperature: 22°C
• Relative humidity: 84%
• Harvest season: Nov–Feb

 

Read More: Is Coffee Acidic? Understanding Coffee Acidity and the Compounds That Shape Its Flavor

 

Honey Process: A Processing Style Strongly Associated with Costa Rica

 

Costa Rica has long positioned itself around specialty Arabica, and producers have continued experimenting with processing to build clearer identity in the market. One processing style strongly associated with Costa Rican coffee is the honey process.

In honey processing, the skin and pulp are removed, while some mucilage is intentionally left on the parchment before fermentation and drying. Compared with washed or natural processing, honey processing developed later, but today it’s increasingly standardized—with details adjusted by region based on flavor goals, climate, and equipment.

 

Traditional Honey Process (Color Labels)

Traditional honey processing is often discussed using color labels based on how much mucilage is left. There is no single universal standard for these names or percentages, and practices can vary by region and mill—so treat the guide below as a general reference.

• Black honey: ~75–100% mucilage retained; often deeper sweetness, richer fruit character, and softer acidity.
• Red honey: ~50% retained; pronounced sweetness with a fuller mouthfeel and gentler acidity.
• Yellow honey: ~25% retained; balanced sweetness and floral–fruity aromatics with livelier acidity and a cleaner, lighter feel.
• White honey: ~10% retained; brighter acidity with softer sweetness, lighter fermentation character, and a fresher profile.

 

Raisin Honey Process

Raisin Honey is a producer term rather than a universal processing standard. It often refers to a honey-style process that uses two rounds of drying and fermentation, and may result in vivid fruit aroma and sweetness, softer acidity, more noticeable fermentation-driven character, and a heavier overall body.

• First drying & fermentation: dry-ferment the whole cherry until it shrivels into a raisin-like state.
• Second drying & fermentation: remove the skin and part of the pulp, keep mucilage, then continue a second drying/fermentation phase until the coffee can be hulled.

 

Extended Fermentation Honey

Extended Fermentation Honey is not a formal industry term. The idea is to retain more mucilage and extend fermentation time to build a more layered profile. These coffees are often described as sweeter and more intensely tropical, sometimes with passion-fruit-like aromatics.

 

Costa Rica Coffee Bean Grades: Altitude-Based Categories

Costa Rica’s green coffee grades are categorized by growing altitude.

At higher elevations, coffee cherries generally mature more slowly, allowing more time for flavor development. Beans tend to be denser and harder, which is why bean “hardness” is often used as a proxy for cup potential and complexity.

• Strictly Hard Bean (SHB): 1,200+ meters
• Good Hard Bean (GHB): 1,000–1,200 meters
• Medium Hard Bean (MHB): below 1,000 meters

 

ICAFE: The Key Institution Behind Costa Rican Coffee

ICAFE (the Costa Rican Coffee Institute) is a central governing body for the country’s coffee sector. Founded in 1933, its mission is to support and protect the industry while promoting sustainability and quality.

Key responsibilities include:

• promoting fair production models among producers, mills, roasters, and exporters
• supporting production, processing, export, and sales
• encouraging domestic and international consumption of Costa Rican coffee
• researching and developing agricultural and industrial techniques
• setting the minimum fair purchase price that mills must pay producers

 

Hand Grinders: A Consistent Grind for Clearer Costa Rican Coffee Flavor

 

Costa Rican coffees can be beautifully detailed—but you’ll only taste that detail if your grind is consistent. When particle size swings too wide, extraction can drift and flavors blur. That’s where a well-built hand grinder helps.

With 1Zpresso’s fine step adjustments, you can fine-tune your grind to match the coffee and your brew method, which often translates into cleaner sweetness, clearer aromatics, and a more stable, repeatable cup. 

The grinders are also designed to feel solid in hand, minimizing movement as you grind so your grounds come out more even.

Across 1Zpresso’s lineup, different burr sets and adjustment systems give you choices for pour-over or espresso—along with compatible accessories if you like to build out your setup.