COSTA RICA Las Lajas

In 2005, seeking greater control over their coffee's quality and pricing, they invested in their own depulper. Oscar admits, "At first, we didn't know what we were doing. We were just experimenting." This experimentation led to remarkable flavor profiles, and today, Further innovation arose from necessity in 2008 when an earthquake cut off electricity and water during harvest. Unable to operate their depulpers or wash mucilage for washed lots, Francisca, inspired by her knowledge of African coffee production, constructed raised beds on their property to dry full, unpluped cherries, producing their first full natural lots.  Las Lajas cultivates its coffees on several farms, including Calle Liles, Calle San Juan, Los Angeles, Los Pinitos, Sabana Redonda, Sabanilla, San Luis, and Calle Lajas. This natural process involves placing ripe coffee beans, which have a high percentage of brix degrees/sugars, on raised beds. There, they are spread in a thin layer to rec