Complex and winey with deep fruity notes like cherry and blackberry, with dried fruits sweetness.
Regular price€22,00
€88,00/kg
Tax included.
Farm Volcán Azul • Hacienda Colima
Region Heredia, Central Valley
Altitude 1400–1500 MASL
Variety Caturra
Process Natural anaerobic
Natural anaerobic
The post-harvest process at Volcán Azul aims to develop the unique strengths of each coffee. For this lot, the cherries are fermented in tanks where oxygen is removed and replaced with CO2. After several days of fermentation, the coffee is spread on raised beds and rotated daily. The beans are covered overnight to retain maximum heat. This process continues until the coffee reaches a humidity level between 10.5% and 11.5%.
Pouring Stages: 50 g (0:00) | 100 g (0:50) | 80 g (1:50)
Total Brew Time: 2:45
TDS: 1.5 %
Extraction Yield: 18.66 %
Pro Tips
Grind Size: A finer grind increases extraction, intensifying flavour and strength. Too fine can lead to over-extraction and bitterness, while too coarse can result in under-extraction and sourness.
Temperature: Higher temperatures enhance acidity, while lower temperatures reduce acidity, highlight sweetness, and minimize bitterness.
Brew Ratio & Yield: To increase strength (viscosity), use a higher dose, a finer grind, or a shorter brew time. For clarity and brightness, adjust for a longer ratio or slightly coarser grind.
Solubility: Light roasts require a finer grind and/or higher temperature to extract flavours fully. Medium-dark roasts extract more easily and may benefit from a slightly coarser grind and/or lower temperature.
Alejo Castro Kahle
Volcán Azul
Alejo Castro Kahle is the heart and soul of Volcán Azul, a world-renowned coffee estate in Costa Rica's volcanic highlands. As a fifth-generation coffee farmer, he masterfully blends tradition with innovation, making sustainability and quality the cornerstones of his craft.
The story begins in the mid-19th century when two European families pioneered coffee businesses in the Americas: the Spanish Castro-Jimenez family in Costa Rica and the German Kahle family in Mexico's Chiapas region. Today, Alejo represents the fifth generation of the Castro-Kahle family, continuing their century-old legacy of coffee cultivation on the slopes of Poás Volcano in central Costa Rica.
Volcán Azul encompasses three farms—two in the Central and West valleys and one near Tarrazú—along with a milling facility. Under Alejo's leadership, the team focuses intensively on coffee quality and consistency. Research into coffee varieties is paramount, especially as Costa Rica faces climate change challenges. Coffee plants, being naturally delicate, are particularly vulnerable to weather extremes and climate shifts. These conditions can trigger diseases like coffee leaf rust—a challenge Alejo has faced firsthand, along with many other Central American producers.
For the Castro-Kahle family, coffee transcends mere specialty—it's a cherished tradition.
For the Castro-Kahle family, coffee transcends mere specialty—it's a cherished tradition. Their farms nurture diverse varieties, including Caturra, Catuai, Geisha, SL28, Villasarchi, Sarchimor, Obata, San Isidro, and Venecia.
At Volcán Azul, sustainable farming and biodiversity conservation take centre stage. Rather than using insecticides, the farms rely on bees, which also produce honey from coffee blossoms. Alejo pioneers complementary planting techniques, introducing specific grasses that both prevent erosion and provide alternative food sources for root-feeding insects. Moreover, the family's commitment to conservation extends beyond their coffee farms—they've preserved 200 hectares of forest above their farms and acquired 1,500 hectares of primary forest in southern Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula.
