Costa Rica: Arbar, Kenya, Natural

Arbar Micromill

  • Flavour profile Blackberry, cocoa nibs, blueberry
  • Process Natural
  • Varietal Kenya (SL-28)
  • Roast Medium

£16.00

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  • The Kenya varietal might be familiar to you from the Arbar micromill and several other farms we source from in Costa Rica. These plants are believed to be descendants of SL28 plants brought from Kenya, though the history is somewhat unclear – it's a bit of an educated guess!

    What we do know is that SL28 likely contributes to the uniquely bright, sweet, and complex flavor of exceptional Kenyan coffees. Similarly, the Costa Rican 'Kenya' varietal seems to deliver the same profile. It's like a flavor fusion of classic Kenyan and Costa Rican characteristics, with more intense acidity than the Villa Sarchi from the farm, while maintaining that intense sweetness and silky body.

    Exploring the variety further, the name 'San Roque Kenya' applies to all Kenya coffee in Costa Rica – they're often referred to as SR Kenya, San Roque Kenia, or variations thereof. We've attempted to trace the history of this varietal, but it's been challenging. The name San Roque is quite common, but we believe it originates from the source of the seedlings.

    As previously mentioned, San Roque Kenya is cultivated at several Costa Rican farms we source from and have sampled in the Western Valley. A distinctive flavour we consistently find in nearly all of them is a crisp lime zing, which is definitely present in this coffee as well.

    A big, juicy burst of blackberry fills your cup! Hints of cocoa nibs and dried apple round it out, whilst the long, lingering aftertaste is of blueberries in this distinctive natural processed coffee.

    • Country: Costa Rica
    • Region: Western Valley
    • Area: Lourdes de Naranjo
    • Producer: Carlos Arrieta and Family
    • Micromill: Arbar
    • Elevation: 1,600 m.a.s.l.
    • Variety: Kenya (SL-28)
    • Process: Natural

  • Cupping Notes: Blackberry, cocoa nibs, blueberry.

    Cup of Excellence Cupping Scores

    • Clean cup: (1-8): 6.5
    • Sweetness: (1-8): 6.5
    • Acidity: (1-8): 6
    • Mouthfeel: (1-8): 6.5
    • 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: between middle of the gap and end of the gap works best here, highlighting the juicy fruitiness.

  • 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). Fine filter also works well for home espresso machines like the De'Longhi Dedica.

    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. Full refund policy here.

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

    *Please note that some home espresso machines will struggle with a standard espresso grind due to the wide variety of machines on the market and the difference in spec when compared to commercial espresso machines. If you are unsure whether this applies to your personal home set-up please get in touch.

  • We roast coffee and dispatch orders Monday to Friday.

    If you place an order before 07:30 am GMT, it will be dispatched that day. If you order after 07:30 am GMT, it will carry over to the following working day for processing.

    We offer free UK mainland delivery on all orders over £30.00. If you're spending under £30.00, one bag sent with First Class postage will cost £3.50, and one bag sent with Second Class postage will cost £2.00. DPD next working day delivery is available for a flat rate of £7.00 for all orders up to 10kg.

    First Class/Tracked 24 orders have a delivery aim of the next working day (Monday-Saturday) after dispatch. Second Class/Tracked 48 orders have a delivery aim of 2-3 working days (Monday-Saturday) after dispatch. DPD has a delivery aim of the next working day (Monday-Friday) after dispatch.

    If you would like to enjoy free delivery on orders under £30.00, make sure to check out My Ozone Rewards.

    For more information about delivery, please visit our Help Centre.

Producer Stories

Learn more about coffee sourcing

Arbar Micromill

The Arbar micromill is owned by the Arrieta Barboza family. That includes Carlos and Maria, and their children Yessica, Karen, Esteban and Jose Ignacio. Their house is right next to their micromill, which is laid out immaculately.

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