Welcome
to 1820 Coffee
Late in the 18th century, as the young nations of Central America faced
an uncertain economic future. Governor Tomás de Acosta saw hope
in the noble coffee bean.
The word soon spread: "Plant coffee". It would became black
gold for these tropical lands, and a new day dawned in 1820, when beans
from Costa Rica made their first foray into the world market. The coffee
crop has undergirded our economy, shaped our culture and defines what
it means to be Costa Rican. 1820…Our name, our life.
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Types of commercial roasting
- Light
- Medium
- Medium dark
- Dark
- Very dark
Types of COFFEE varieties
There are three important coffee varieties: coffea Arabica (Arabica), coffea canephora (robusta) and coffea Liberica.
The Arabica species is the most widely grown in the world, due to the organoleptic aspects of the drink which has higher quality and homogeneity.
ARABICA is the only commercial coffee variety produced in Costa Rica .
Coffee regions in Costa Rica
Type of coffee |
Zones |
Altitude |
Characteristics |
S.H.B. strictly Hard Bean |
To the north of Alajuela and Heredia, the central area of the central valley, Moravia, Tres Rios, to the south of San Jose, Cartago, Aserrí,
Dota and Tarrazú |
1200 1700 |
Bean characterized by its physical hardness, closed fissure typical of all hard beans, and high acidity in the cup. |
G.H.B. Good hard Bean |
Naranjo, Palmares and San Ramon |
1000 1200 |
Good hard bean with noticeable acidity, full body and excellent aroma. |
H.B. Hard Bean |
San Jose, Heredia, Alajuela, medium ripening, Puriscal, Acosta and Grecia |
800 1000 |
Hard oily bean, very good characteristics of body and aroma and little acidity. |
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