Sweet Lucia

Espresso Single Origin of the Month — Costa Rica Sweet Lucia

- Process: Washed

- Variety: Caturra

- Altitude: 1,400–2,000 MASL

Taste: White Nectarine, Malt, Baking Spices, Maple Syrup

About the Coffee

Sweet Lucia comes out of Pérez Zeledón, a highland growing region sitting in the shadow of Cerro Chirripó, Costa Rica's tallest peak. The volcanic soil and elevation here do a lot of the heavy lifting — but the real backbone of this lot is CoopeAgri, one of Costa Rica's oldest and largest coffee cooperatives.

CoopeAgri was formed in 1962 by 391 small-scale farmers pooling resources to get better outcomes for their communities. Today that's grown to over 8,000 members. This particular lot draws on 250 hectares farmed by 200 producer associates spread across seven towns in the region.

Only the ripest cherries, picked between December and February, make it into this lot. They're washed, de-pulped and mechanically demucilaged at the mill before mechanical drying — a tightly controlled process aimed at consistency over anything left to chance. From there, the beans go through hulling and both density and colour sorting, so only the most structurally sound beans make the cut.

CoopeAgri's work doesn't stop at processing. The co-op funds medical facilities for its members, runs an agronomy support program, produces its own organic fertiliser, and even operates a café showcasing the coffees it produces. Every bag of this lot helps fund that.

In the cup: washed Caturra with white nectarine up front, a clean, bright acidity, and a deep, syrupy finish of malt and maple carrying baking spice undertones.

Barista Notes — Espresso

This is a dense, clean lot that rewards a slightly longer ratio and a patient shot.

- Ratio: 1:2.2–1:2.5 (18g in, 40–45g out) — draws out the white nectarine and bright acidity while keeping the shot from turning sharp

- Time: 26–30 seconds — this density needs the extra contact time to release the maple sweetness and build proper body

- Temp: 93–94.5°C — enough heat to dissolve the sugars fully; go higher and the baking spice notes can tip into wood/bitterness

Single Origin coffee orders can take up to 1.5 weeks to be delivered. We roast them weekly and they sell out fast.