Roger Ureña is a star of the coffee scene in Tarrazu. In a region known for its innovative micromills, Roger stands out with his daring approach to experimentation and his commitment to quality. Coffees from Santa Teresa are always of the very highest level and we are excited to release this latest White Honey lot.
Santa Teresa is located at 2000 meters in Santa Maria de Dota. In the cup we find notes of plum and white chocolate, whilst in the mid palate fresh floral notes provide complexity.
The Cup
This coffee stands out with its defined character. The aroma is reminiscent of fresh apple and Matcha Tea. In the cup we find notes of plum and white chocolate, whilst in the mid palate fresh floral notes provide complexity. The body is structured and is supported by bright acidity.
The Farm
Seeing his parents and grandparents working their land, Roger has been involved in coffee farming since he was a young boy. His main farm, Santa Teresa, was acquired 10 years ago. Its altitude ranges from 1600 to 2050 metres above sea level. With a total of 60 hectares, Roger chooses to plant coffee on just 10: most of his land remains protected forest. His processing plant enjoys a perfect location benefiting from gentle afternoon sun and lower cloud cover.
Roger continues to innovate and some years ago took the step of converting one of the oldest houses in his village to a beautiful coffee shop: hoping to incentivise the consumption of high quality coffee within the communities in which it is grown.
Recognising that most farms in Costa Rica relied upon the Caturra and Catuai, Roger has sought to explore the different cup profiles offered by a range of different varietals. Alongside the beautiful Catuai, he has recently started growing Rume Sudan, Pacamara, Bourbon, Geisha, and SL-28 - to name just a few!
The Process
Our Catuai coffee is processed as a white honey. Roger usually brings the cherries to the mill in the evening, leaving the cherries in a container overnight and processing the coffee first thing the next morning. This way, he intensifies the cup profile.
The coffee is pulped in a Penagos eco pulper: For his white honey coffees, they remove as much mucilage as possible with just a small amount of the coffee cherry mucilage left. Beans are then transferred immediately to dry on raised beds under shade, taking around 8-10 days for the beans to reach the desired moisture content. The thin layer is regularly turned to help them dry evenly while the natural sugars in the mucilage impart sweetness and depth to the coffee.
