Costa Rica Las Lajas Perla Negra

12 oz. Bag$25

  • Light-Medium Roast
  • Single Origin

Owners Oscar and Francisca Chacon run what is considered to be one of the best micro mills in Costa Rica. Well known for its exceptional drying techniques for natural and honey-processed coffees, Las Lajas is constantly experimenting and developing new processing techniques to create the best possible coffees. After working with the Chacons for several years, we had the pleasure of visiting the mill during our 2018 trip to Costa Rica.

Tasting Notes

  • Mango
  • Mixed Berries
  • Grape Soda
  • Milk Chocolate

Details

Varietals

Caturra

Farmer

Cumbres Del Poas

Green Cost

6.47/lb

C-Market Price

$2.22/lb

Clever Dripper

A combination of immersion and pour over, the Clever makes it easy to get a full bodied cup of coffee by steeping the coffee, like a French Press, then filtering it like a V60.

Sourcing & Processing

View over Alajuela, Costa Rica.
View over Alajuela, Costa Rica

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.

They say necessity is the mother of invention. For the Chacón family, necessity was certainly the driving force in 2006 when Oscar and Francisca Chacón decided to build Las Lajas, one of the first modern micro-mills in Costa Rica. Located in the Central Valley region (encompassing the provinces of San José, Heredia and Alajuela), today Las Lajas is at the forefront of micro-mill processing trend in Costa Rica Prior to building Las Lajas, Oscar and Francisca relied on large multinationals to purchase and process their coffee cherries. But the price for harvested cherry was not covering the Chacón’s rising costs of organic farm management and labor to harvest the cherry. The Chacón family needed the micro-mill to try and find a way to make ends meet. Necessity struck again in 2008, when an earthquake cut off the Chacón’s access to electricity and water during the harvest. With no other way to process coffee and employees relying on Oscar and Francisca for income in a time of crisis, they did the only thing they could, dried the coffee in cherry.

Las Lajas
Las Lajas sorting and drying facilities

Over the last ten years, the Chacón family has focused on balancing environmental impact with expressive cup profiles. The family farms have remained certified organic while processing cherry is always in a state of reinvention. Frequently a source of coffee in barista competitions and the Cup of Excellence, Las Lajas is renowned for its natural and honey processing methods, which are processes that greatly reduce water consumption but also require precisely executed drying protocols.

Coffees with light roasting profiles

Want it sweet?

Treat yourself and try a syrup

Check out our Syrups