Costa Rica - Las Lajas - Perla Negra Natural

Whenever Perla Negra is available from our friends at Brandywine Coffee Roasters, we scoop it! It's one of our favorite coffees: full-bodied, sweet, and fruity...chef's kiss! 

In addition to sourcing and roasting with utmost care and intentionality, each bag features a graphic from Brandywine's in-house designer and is individually screen printed and wax stamped.

Tasting Notes: Rainier Cherry, Strawberry, Tangerine

• Location: Sabanetilla, Poas, Alajuela, Costa Rica
• Producers: Oscar and Francisca Chacón 
• Varietal: Caturra
• Process: Natural / Patio and solar dried machine
• Elevation: 1500 masl

More About Las Lajas: Oscar and Francisca Chacón built Beneficio Las Lajas in 2006, one of the first modern micro-mills in Costa Rica. Over the last ten years, the farm has remained certified organic, and the Chacón family has focused on balancing environmental impact with expressive cup profiles. Frequently a source of coffee in barista competitions and the Cup of Excellence, Las Lajas is renowned for its exceptional natural and honey processing techniques, which are processes that greatly reduce water consumption but also require precisely executed drying protocols.

Oscar and Francisca are constantly experimenting with new processing methods and push for the perfect technique to produce a cup that expresses the inherent delicacy, harmony and complexity of their coffees. 

Process Info:
The Perla Negra natural process is defined by selective harvesting of only the ripest cherries. These cherries are washed and moved to patios for drying, and are moved intermittently throughout the morning, then capped and covered in the afternoon and evenings. Cherries dry for between 22 and 27 days. The drying mill, Las Lajas, is one of the best micro mills in Costa Rica and is well known for its exceptional drying techniques for natural and honey-processed coffees like this one!