El Cristobal Anaerobic - Costa Rica

El Cristobal Anaerobic is a funky and creamy coffee directly from our trading partners in Costa Rica, Café Rivense.

We start 2023 by presenting one of our previously beloved coffees with a new twist. El Cristobal has been part of our range throughout 2022, but now we can finally introduce you to the new harvest – it's almost like bringing you a whole new coffee experience!

The coffee is, of course, still grown by Ricardo and the Ureña family in Costa Rica. We have chosen to rename El Cristobal because it would be a shame if someone assumed that it is the same coffee experience as the old harvest. El Cristobal Anaerobic is the name of the new harvest! El Cristobal has actually always been processed anaerobically, but it was not so evident in the taste of the old harvest. It is in the new one, which is why we have chosen to include it in the name.

Now if you are thinking 'ana-e-what-a-coffee,' don't worry. Here's your explanation: 'Anaerobic' means 'without oxygen' and refers to the way the coffee is processed. The coffee is fermented in a tank where oxygen is removed before the tank is sealed. This method prevents the survival of certain bacteria in the tank. These bacteria usually bring out the more acidic notes in the coffee. Since they are less present, the sweeter notes have room to develop, which is why anaerobic coffees are often sweet and with a very distinctive flavour profile.

Our Friends and Partners in Costa Rica

Some of you know them almost as well as we do. Ricardo Ureña and his family have been our dear partners for a long time and the family continues to impress us with the extraordinary quality of their coffee.

Their farm and coffee production in central Costa Rica is an honest family business. Today, Ricardo runs the farm and he has introduced new initiatives over the last years: shade cultivation, minimising water consumption and experimenting with new varieties. Nevertheless, his father - Regulo Ureña - and the rest of his family are just as much a part of the company, and together they produce truly excellent coffees.

Tasting Notes

This harvest of El Cristobal has a distinctly anaerobic taste – it's funky and creamy, leaving you with notes of strawberry, cherry, vanilla, and dulce de leche.

• Origin: Costa Rica
• Region: Chirripõ
• Washing station: Café Rivense
• Variety: Villa Sarchi
• Process: Anaerobic
• Harvest: April 2022
• Altitude: 1700 m
• Notes: Funky and creamy with notes of strawberry, cherry, vanilla, and dulce de leche