Costa Rica San Diego Anaerobic

A coffee that tastes like apple pie in a cup, with notes of cinnamon, apple, pomegranate and hibiscus.
Costa Rica SHB San Diego Anaerobic is an unusual specialty coffee from the Tarrazú region of Costa Rica, made from hand-sorted cherries of the Caturra variety. The light roast highlights its juiciness, natural sweetness and fruity, floral character, while anaerobic fermentation gives the cup depth, clarity and a sensory profile that is much sought after in the coffee world.

Apple pie, cinnamon and juicy fruit

From the first sip this coffee brings to mind home-made apple pie: sweet apple, gentle cinnamon and a pleasant, dessert-like depth. It is not heavy or overly sweet, though. The cup also has a fresher, more elegant side: pomegranate adds juiciness and light acidity, and hibiscus brings a floral, tea-like note.

This profile is especially valued in specialty coffee because it combines several qualities that fans of light roasts look for: high sweetness, clean fruit, clear aroma and a long, elegant finish. It is a coffee with character: unexpected, memorable and very enjoyable as an everyday brew.

Tarrazú: one of the best places for coffee in Costa Rica

The beans come from Tarrazú, one of the best-known and most highly regarded coffee regions in Costa Rica. The coffee ripens at 1,600-1,750 m a.s.l., where cooler nights and higher altitude slow down the ripening of the fruit.

This gives the coffee cherries more time to develop sugars and complex aromas. In practice that means a cup with more sweetness, a juicier structure and a clean, transparent profile. That is why Tarrazú is so often associated with high-quality coffees that are elegant, lively and very aromatic.

The Caturra variety and hand-sorted cherries

This lot was made from Caturra, one of the important varieties grown in Costa Rica. Only fully ripe, hand-sorted cherries go into processing. For this coffee the sugar content of the fruit matters especially: it is the basis of a successful fermentation and builds natural sweetness in the cup.

Ripe fruit, the right variety and precise sorting all make a huge difference here. The flavour of this coffee is no accident. Its profile is the result of deliberate work from the moment of harvest.

Anaerobic: a process that brings out depth

After depulping, the beans remain coated in mucilage, the natural sticky layer of the fruit, and then go into sealed steel tanks. There they ferment without oxygen.

In this environment a controlled fermentation takes place, which enhances the sweetness, juiciness and complexity of the coffee. It is thanks to anaerobic processing that such clear notes of apple, cinnamon, pomegranate and hibiscus appear in the cup. The coffee gains fuller body, a more intense aroma and a character that is much sought after in specialty coffee today.

After fermentation the coffee is sun-dried to the right moisture level and then rested so that its profile can stabilise and develop.

Beneficio San Diego: tradition and modern methods since 1888

The coffee was processed at Beneficio San Diego, one of the oldest and most advanced mills in Costa Rica. The mill has been operating since 1888 and has long specialised in processing coffees from Tarrazú. Beneficio San Diego belongs to Volcafe Costa Rica and is known for combining tradition with modern processing methods, including experimental fermentations.

It is a place where precision, experience and innovation have a direct impact on cup quality. The result is a clean, refined and very expressive coffee.

Who is this coffee for?

This coffee is for people who like light roasts and want something special in the cup. It works best in alternative brew methods: pour-over, Chemex, AeroPress, Kalita or a filter coffee machine.

It tastes juicy, sweet and dessert-like, yet elegant and fresh at the same time. It has the feel of apple pie, a spicy note of cinnamon, the fruity intensity of pomegranate and a delicate floral touch of hibiscus.

OUR HEAD BARISTA’S RECIPE (KALITA WAVE 155 DRIPPER)

Coffee (g)	18 g
Water (ml)	300 ml
Water temperature (°C)	91°C
Grind (Comandante)	25-26 clicks, medium (like grains of fine sugar)
Brew time (min:s)	2:40-3:10

Method