Costa Rica Sonora Villa Sarchi Espresso

This is an fine example of a naturally dried coffee, where the beans have been dried inside the coffee cherry. Producer Alberto Guardia, who grows more than 20 different coffee varieties on his farm, is renowned for producing exceptional microlots, and we've had the pleasure of roasting his coffees many times over the years.

This microlot is produced from the Villa Sarchi variety and has everything you could wish for in a naturally processed coffee: exceptional sweetness, a full, creamy body, and vibrant fruit character. In other words, it was made for espresso. Compared to our filter roasts, we extend both the roast time and the final development temperature. This softens the coffee's acidity, creating a more balanced espresso while enhancing body and bringing out a pleasant bittersweet finish that beautifully complements the coffee's naturally vibrant acidity. 

DESCRIPTION OF THIS MICROLOT:

This lot is naturally processed. In fact, every coffee at Hacienda Sonora is processed either as a Honey or a Natural. By completely avoiding washed processing, the farm significantly reduces its water consumption while helping to protect the surrounding environment.

After harvest, the coffee cherries are first floated in fresh spring water to remove underripe cherries, defects, and other impurities from the field. They are then spread in thin layers on the farm's raised drying beds or patios, where they dry slowly in the sun from morning until late afternoon. Throughout the drying process, the cherries are turned regularly to ensure slow, even, and controlled drying.

After approximately two weeks, once the coffee has reached a moisture content of around 14%, it is transferred to Hacienda Sonora's warehouse, where it is rested before the final milling and preparation for export.

FARM DESCRIPTION:

Hacienda Sonora is a family farm located in the Central Valley of Costa Rica at the foot of the Poas Volcano in Carrillo, Alajuela. Alberto Guardia took the farm over in the 1970’s as the fourth generation of coffee producers in the family. He planted coffee over the majority of the land, making coffee production the main source of income for the farm.

The farm covers approximately 100 hectares of land, including 65 hectares of shaded coffee and 35 hectares of wild forest reserve. Coffee is grown here surrounded by diverse trees and other vegetation, providing excellent conditions for production and improving the chemistry of the already rich volcanic soil. Thanks to the diverse ecosystem at Sonora, many species of birds and animals call the farm their natural habitat.

Alberto and Diego carry on the family’s long history of caring for the environment at Hacienda Sonora. By using only Natural and Honey processes they reduce water usage and save three gallons of water per pound of coffee that would have been used for Washed processing. 100% of the power consumed by the farm is generated from renewable energy sources on the property, including harvesting power from a freshwater stream using a special turbine called a Pelton Wheel. This energy supplies power to the coffee mill and generates an amount of free electricity for workers living on the farm.