Casa De Piedra. Cafe de Costa Rica

Highlights

“Casa de Piedra is produced by Gerardo Arias Camacho in the mountains of Tarrazú, one of the most emblematic regions of Costa Rican coffee, from San Isidro 48 trees grown between 1,500 and 1,800 m. Gerardo works two properties in the area of San José and San Francisco de León Cortés — Monte Alto, with about 30 hectares of coffee, and Casa de Piedra, with around 50 — both on andisol soils of volcanic origin, across microclimates and altitudes that let cherries ripen gradually. Tarrazú built its reputation on high-grown coffees, and the mix of moderate temperatures, wide day-to-night swings and rugged relief gives the fruit a complex composition. Because one person manages both the farm and the post-harvest work, decisions can be made lot by lot according to variety, harvest conditions and the profile being chased — which is how Gerardo explores different fermentation and drying methods and ends up with very different sensory expressions from the same geography. Casa de Piedra is picked selectively by hand from February to April, cherry by cherry, which matters all the more because the coffee then goes through anaerobic fermentation with the whole fruit intact: in a low-oxygen environment, microbial activity transforms compounds in the pulp and mucilage into intense fruit aromas and liqueur-like notes. After fermentation the cherries dry in the open air with the fruit still around the bean, as a natural should.”