Costa Rica: Arbar, Geisha [125g]

*Please note this coffee is part of our Special Reserve range and sold in 125g bags, not 220g*

The Arbar micromill is owned by Carlos and Maria Arrieta Soto, The mill name "Arbar" comes from the combined family names - Carlos ARietta and Maria BARboza - Arbar, clever eh!

Their family home and the milling area of the mill are right in the middle of the Manantial farm, 1 of the 4 small farms that Carlos and Maria run between them. It’s all laid out immaculately, with the drying beds, depulper, and nursery areas all around the edge of the house.

Carlos and Maria are very active members of the local community and have close relationships with their neighbours - which include Cup of Excellence-winning mills like Herbazu, Vista Al Valle and Sumava de Lourdes. The farm operates mostly Organic processes, but they're not Organic certified. They believe in the value of biodiversity on the farms, and plants like fruit trees are positioned among the coffee plants to provide shade and to help the soil. These trees also provide food for the family. They even have a few sheep and other animals, with the farm being as self-sufficient as possible. They have only one full-time employee who isn't a member of the family and they live on the farm in accommodation provided for them.

Before they sold coffee to us, the Arbar production was all sold to a big cooperative. For that, it makes sense to grow tried-and-trusted coffee varieties like Caturra, Catuai, and Villa Sarchi. These are all proven to produce a good cup, and they're relatively resilient and don’t need to be spaced out too much.

When Carlos and his family started selling to us, it gave them a chance to
try new things; the prices we pay gave them the opportunity to take bigger risks. One of the ways they did this was by trying small plantings of new varietals including Bourbon, Kenya (SL28), and this one – Geisha.

The coffee plants' low-yielding, thin, and spindly branches mean they're vulnerable to the strong winds that are common at higher altitudes. To help protect the plants, they’re surrounded by tall trees and kept in the lee of the hill, where they can grow freely. Furthermore, it's about as pest-friendly as a coffee tree comes (although resistant to leaf rust!), so you just don't get much production. But what you do get is pure deliciousness.

You can expect the classic Geisha combination of floral notes and the sweet citrus of bergamot in this cup. As it cools, the citrus shifts more into orange and there's a black tea note which lingers into the aftertaste of this elegant coffee.

• Country: Costa Rica
• Region: Western Valley
• Area: Lourdes de Naranjo
  
• Producer: The Arrieta Barboza Family
  
• Micromill: Arbar
  
• Elevation: 1,600 m.a.s.l.
• Variety: Geisha
• Process: White Honey

Cupping Notes: Floral, bergamot, orange, black tea.

Cup of Excellence Cupping Scores

• Clean cup: (1–8): 6.5
• Sweetness: (1–8): 6.5
• Acidity: (1–8): 6.5
• Mouthfeel: (1–8): 6
• Flavour: (1–8): 7
• Aftertaste: (1–8): 6.5
• Balance: (1–8): 6.5
• Overall: (1–8): 6.5
• Correction: (+36): +36
• Total: (max. 100): 88

Roasting Information
Medium: You can slow this down a little after first crack, but keep the roast a good medium and before second to let those elegant and complex floral and citrus flavours shine.

We offer our coffees as whole beans, pre-ground, and green unroasted.

To help you choose the best pre-ground options for you, below is a list of popular brew methods that we find work well with our settings. And for more information, please visit our dedicated grind size article here.

Espresso: Turkish coffee (jezve) or, you guessed it, espresso

Fine Filter: Moka pot, AeroPress, single cup pour-over (e.g. Hario V60 01, Chemex 1-3 cup, Kalita 155)

Medium Filter: Double cup pour-over brewers (e.g., Clever Dripper, V60 02, Chemex 6/8/10 cup, Kalita 185, April, wide Orea, etc)

Coarse Filter: Automatic drip brewers like Moccamaster, BUNN, Sage, Behmor etc, and syphon brewers.

French Press: French Press (cafetiere/press pot/plunger Pot), cold brew, cowboy coffee.

• It is not possible to grind 3kg bags.
• Ground coffee cannot be refunded nor exchanged as it is a product customised especially for you.

If you're interested in getting yourself a grinder, we have a great selection to choose from! Click here to check them out.