Costa Rica Tarrazú San Diego

This is a lactic anaerobic coffee from the Tarrazú region of Costa Rica. While most coffees from Tarrazú are classic and straightforward, the fermentation on this lot takes it somewhere weird and wonderful. Fruity pebbles leads right from the dry aroma through the first sip, a little cranberry tartness comes in behind, and vanilla rounds things out. The notes come out best when brewed as a pourover.

The coffee comes from Beneficio San Diego, a mill in the Los Santos area that has been running since 1888 and takes in cherry from smallholder farms growing Caturra and Catuai between 1,450 and 1,750 meters. They hand-sort for super-ripe cherries with high sugar content and seal them in tanks without water. During fermentation, the sugars convert into lactic acid, which builds up the fruit aromatics and gives the cup a heavier, creamier texture before the beans are sun-dried.