The Las Lajas mill in the Central Valley of Costa Rica is a shining star in quality and innovation. Opening in 2005, owners Oscar and Francisca Chacon did not know much about milling coffee, despite being third-generation coffee producers. It turns out processing coffee is a whole lot different than growing coffee. And so the fun began…
The Chacon’s introduction to coffee processing is a sincere and resilient story. In 2005 they had a lot to learn, and they made a lot of mistakes, which they’re happy to laugh about today. They took every error as a lesson to improve their product and tell a genuinely charming story. Seeing their stunning facility now, it’s hard to imagine that they haven’t always been at the top of their game. Present day, the Las Lajas mill is renowned for producing some of the finest coffees in the world. They receive feedback with enthusiasm, invest in their infrastructure, experiment with their technique, and consult with their farmers to provide us with some of the best coffee we’ve ever tasted.
Don’t worry, we didn’t know what “Double Diamond” meant either, but the Chacons (owners of the Las Lajas mill) explained it to us. In this processing method, the mill puts the whole cherries in closed tanks full of water and adds yeast to kickstart the fermentation process. The tanks are temperature controlled at 12 degrees celcius (54 degrees fahrenheit) for 3-4 days, until the proper pH balance is achieved. The descriptor “anaerobic” refers to the absence of oxygen as the cherries begin their fermentation. Once out of the tanks, the cherries are laid out on beds to slowly dry in a controlled environment. Often times, anaerobic coffees can taste funky, having notes of vinegar and leaning vegetal. No hate to those coffees, but it isn’t our preference. We were delighted to find this zestful, fruit-forward coffee. It does have the mellow funk fans of anerobic coffees enjoy, but it is accompanied by really lovely, bright citrus and stonefruit notes. In the end, the flavor of the El Canal reminds us of a boozy yogurt parfait (in a good way), that’s something we haven’t tasted in coffee before now.
We recognize how lucky we are to be able to offer this coffee to you. Las Lajas exclusively offers micro-lots, meaning their harvests are small, and the coffee is usually reserved on-site. It’s been a goal of ours for a decade to bring in coffee of this caliber and we’re so excited to share it with you now.
The El Canal coffee opened our eyes to how much careful selection and informed approach can really change your impression of a processing method. We’re grateful the Las Lajas mill hosted us and introduced us to their technique. When enjoying this coffee, be sure to credit the producers who made it shine with their hard work and generations of knowledge.
