Temperatures look to be rising throughout the day today, peaking around 85 degrees with a relatively low humidity down around 75%. These past few days have been a definite sign of the soon-to-be-changing seasons, and as we continue into high season expect these warmer temperatures and sun all day to be the norm. Expecting a light breeze coming from the east today, a chance of a light shower around lunch time, and some higher waves up around 2-3 feet tall for the ambitious boogie boarder. Temperatures should drop moving into the evening, leaving us with a good chance for a beautiful sunset.
Town recently welcomed a local specialist coffee group as they put on an open demonstration for all residents and guests with an interest in learning about the fine details of the growth, roasting, judging, and brewing of coffee.
The talk started with an explanation of the many differences that distinguish commercial coffee from specialty coffee, starting from the elevation and climate of the beans, moving on to the moment beans are harvested from the vine -- itself a part of the coffee bean’s quality -- and then on through their preservation and humidity levels during transport, finally resulting in their delivery to brewers and customers.
The focus then turned to the roasting of the coffee beans, focusing on how different levels of roast -- blonde, medium, and dark -- can bring different flavors to the forefront of a single bean, first through fragrance (of the dry grounds) and then through aroma (of the brewed coffee), and finishing up at last in the grand finale -- the tasting.
Due to the particular conditions required to grow coffee, the crop is much more common in central Costa Rica, where weather and soil conditions are optimal. However, in Guanacaste there is one area which has just the right conditions for growing coffee, a small canton called Hojancha, just a two hour drive to the southeast. Their small plantations are a source for the specialty coffee in the area, so keep an eye out for this local Guanacaste brew.