Epoch 9 - Aquiares Centroamericano

A new kind of coffee tree from the slopes of the Turrialba volcano. Hibiscus and ground cherry up front, crisp apple through the middle, and a black tea finish.

Description:
Every so often, coffee gets a genuinely new variety. Centroamericano H1 is one of them. It's a first-generation hybrid that crosses a hardy, rust-resistant Sarchimor with Rume Sudan, a wild heirloom from the Ethiopia–Sudan borderlands. The result is a tree tough enough to survive the diseases wiping out Central American farms, and a cup that still tastes like its wild parent: floral, bright and elegant.

This lot comes from Aquiares Estate. The name means "land between rivers" in the Indigenous Huetar language. Aquiares has grown coffee since 1890 and is Costa Rica's largest farm. Over time, it grew into a real town: about 1,800 people live there, and most of the workers own their homes on the estate. The farm runs under shade, protects its rivers and forest corridors, and is certified carbon neutral.

In the cup it's a textbook Epoch 9: clean, washed, and quietly complex. Hibiscus opens it up, and ground cherry brings a tart, golden sweetness. Cox's Orange Apple adds a crisp, aromatic middle. It all settles into a smooth black tea finish that keeps you reaching for the next sip.

Details:

Origin: Turrialba, Costa Rica
Producer: Aquiares Estate (Robelo family)
Altitude: 1,400 masl
Varietal: Centroamericano H1 (F1 hybrid)
Process: Washed
Tasting Notes: Hibiscus · Ground Cherry · Cox's Orange Apple · Black Tea

Roasted as an omni roast to suit  
Brew it at 1:15 and give it a few minutes to cool, because the hibiscus and apple come forward as it drops in temperature.