Costa Rica Roberto Mata - Advent Coffee

Costarica Roberto Mata

Roaster’s comment:
“After a year, this Juicy Honey lot from Roberto has returned to us, and I’m truly delighted that he once again sent us his ‘wild Costa Rican nature in a cup.’ Working with Roberto is always a joy, because for him it is also about the wild nature and living in harmony with it. Take a sip and experience his wilderness!”

Farmer: Roberto Mata
Country: Costa Rica
Region: Tarrazú
Location: Valle de Dota
Variety: 100% Caturra
Processing: Juicy Honey
Altitude: 1800 m a.s.l.
Harvest: May 2025
Flavor profile: Chocolate-covered cherries, cranberries, nutmeg

Several years ago, together with his wife Doris and their five children, he founded a small family business. Right behind their home, they now process their own lots in their micro-mill using a modern ecological depulping machine (Ecopulper), which significantly reduces water consumption. All processes on the farm are precisely measured and efficiently organized—nothing is left to chance.

Just behind the processing station, they have a small cupping space and sample room. They focus exclusively on natural and honey processing methods, drying the coffee on African beds. To ensure ideal conditions, they use shade nets to protect the coffee from the harsh midday sun and mechanical dryers to perfectly stabilize the final moisture level before export.

Processing

The “Juicy Honey fermentation” method begins on the farm with the careful selection of only the best, perfectly ripe, deep-red cherries. The cherries are first sorted in a water bath and then gently depulped using the minimal possible amount of water.

The magic of this specific process lies in dividing the harvest into two parts. The first batch of cherries is processed as a classic honey coffee. The second batch is fermented in a plastic tank while still coated in its sticky mucilage, to which the pulp from the first batch is added. This intensified fermentation lasts 120 hours.

After fermentation, the coffee is dried on African beds under 100% direct sunlight for 2 days to quickly reduce moisture and prevent excessive fermentation or mold development. The beans are then moved to raised beds with 75% shade for another 13 days, until the moisture content drops to the desired 11.5%.

The total drying time for this lot is 15 days. The beans are then stored in parchment to rest. This slow drying and resting process homogenizes moisture across all beans and extends their shelf life, as the embryo inside the seed is kept alive as long as possible.