Costa Rica
Finca Planada

The Finca Planada mill mainly produces honey processed coffees, so the natural we’re sharing is unusual for them. Carlos also likes to experiment with different varieties: he was the first producer in Costa Rica to get his hands on the SL-28 varietal which we’re showcasing.

Natural process SL28

Flavour: winey, juicy berries and plum with soft florals

Body: Acidity:

Roast: omni (filter + espresso)

We’re excited to be sharing a pretty unique coffee from Costa Rica as part of Brew Crew VS.

VERY SPECIAL

Why unique? It’s from a Costa Rican farm growing SL28, a varietal developed originally in Kenya, processed using a natural method. Kenyan coffees are typically washed, so this is a rare chance where two unexpected factors meet to produce an interesting flavour profile. Fusion!

It’s the result of the consistent work of Carlos Barrantes and his wife, Diana, who established La Perla Del Cafe Mill in 2011. They’re the third generation in their family in coffee. Their obsession with quality and precision is evident from the mill to the drying greenhouse to the bodega—not a single bean is out of place, and everything is kept exceptionally clean.

In a further nod to quality, the Barrantes family hires the same pickers every year, regardless of the size of the harvest. These workers are so exceptional that the station doesn’t have a float tank at the mill—Carlos and Diana trust their keen eyes and swift hands to only select the perfectly ripe cherry.

The mill mainly produces honey processed coffees, so the natural we’re sharing is also unusual for them. Carlos also likes to experiment with different varieties: he was the first producer in Costa Rica to get his hands on the SL-28 varietal which we’re showcasing.

Now you know a bit more about the background it’s time to enjoy this awesome coffee! If you don’t know where to start, you can use Reuben’s brewing recipe (coming soon, see below).

You can also try your favourite method and play around with some settings to get the best of it. Don’t forget to tell us how it went, adding your recipe here, via email or on Instagram at @samplecoffee.

We look forward to hearing about your experience with this VS coffee!

Sourcing and ingredients

100% SL28 coffee beans, roasted by us on Gadigal land / Sydney.

Country grade: Unknown ?

Packaging

Bag: ABA Certified home compostable
Label: Recyclable
Valve (on bags larger than 250g): General waste
Coffee ordered online is shipped in a recyclable cardboard box

Brewing this coffee

We recommend brewing this coffee 15–49 days post-roast. If pre-ground, brew as soon as possible. Our advice on storing coffee.

1:3
dose:yield
ratio

To brew on espresso, we recommend using 20g of beans (dose) to get 60g of espresso out (yield), during 24-28 seconds.

g dose

g yield

View the how to brew espresso (single origin) guide.

1:16.7
beans:water
ratio

To brew in infusion/fed brewers (V60, Chemex) use a ratio of 1:16.7 ratio of beans:water.

g beans

g water

View full recipes and videos in our brewguides

1:14.3
beans:water
ratio

To brew in immersion brewers (plunger, AeroPress, Kalita, batch brewer) we recommend using a 1:14.3 ratio of beans:water

g beans

g water

View full recipes and videos in our brewguides

1:12
beans:water
ratio

To brew as cold brew we recommend using a 1:12 ratio of beans:water

g beans

g water

View full recipes and videos in our brewguides

Producer: Carlos & Diana Barrantes
Country: Costa Rica
Region: Cirri Sur, Naranjo, West Valley
Altitude: 1500m above sea level
Varietals: SL28
Process: natural
Body: Medium
Acidity: Balanced
Tasting notes: Winey, juicy berries and plum with soft florals
Roast style: Omni (filter + espresso)

Varietals

SL28 varietal

SL28 was developed in 1931 by Scott Laboratories to suit the growing conditions in Kenya. The varietal is known for its exceptional cup quality

The location

Coffee from Costa Rica

Since the mid-2000s there has been an increasing focus on the establishment of micro-mills in Costa Rica to increase their production of traceable, high quality lots of coffee.

Farm processes

Natural process

This technique leaves some flesh on the coffee cherry during processing and drying. This results in flavours which may show jammy fruit and a little winey-ness.