Costa Rica: Don Eli, Casa Abajo
Flavor Notes: Cacao, Caramel, Toffee
Process: Washed
Variety: Catuai
Region: Tarrazu, Costa Rica
Altitude: 1800 Meters
Suggested Brew Method: Chemex, French Press
Fun Info: The Montero family lives in El Llano de La Piedra, between the towns of San Marcos and Santa Maria de Dota in the Tarrazu canton of Costa Rica. The micromill, Microbeneficio Don Eli, is located across the river from their home fully equipped for processing fully Washed and Honey coffees and covered drying beds for Natural coffees as well. One of their several farms, Finca La Pastora, is located up on the side of a nearby mountain, with breathtaking views looking back down into the river valley and over the landscape of Tarrazu.
Carlos has not always had his own mill, however, and the efforts to create coffee processing capabilities on his own land were part of Costa Rica’s “micromill revolution” and the result of the entire family’s hard work and dedication over many years. Carlos was motivated to take on this gargantuan task because of his family’s history working in coffee production and his own convictions and desire to put his family’s name on the final product.
The Blue House Team has had the honor of visiting Carlos Montero and his family who own the Don Eli coffee farm and mill in Tarrazu multiple times and have a great relationship with the entire family. Sam Beger had the opportunity to help with the harvest of January 2020, where he helped process Blue House’s own coffees. He also helped create a COVID friendly occupational environment for the workforce. You can read more here: https://bluehousecoffee.com/learn/covid-19-and-coffee-picking-how-blue-house-is-using-public-health-to-foster-sustainable-relationships-with-coffee-farmers
Casa Abajo (the low house) is an area of their farm in a high-altitude region called La Pastora. These beans are harvested towards the end of the harvest season because their high elevation makes the cherries ripen slower than low elevation coffees.
