Costa Rica Montano Micro-mill Jaguar Anaerobic SHB EP 2024

Montano Micro Mill by Beneficio San Diego

Beneficio San Diego, Costa Rica’s most innovative and largest private mill, acquired Montano Micro Mill with a plan to take experimentation to the next level. Montano is led by Juan Ramon, a local producer with a strong reputation for high quality. Under his direction and with Volcafe support, Montano is set to become a high-powered lab where research towards new processes can thrive.

Socially Responsible Coffee

Volcafe and Funación Pro Zoológicos have partnered to preserve Panthera onca, an endangered jaguar species in Costa Rica that holds cultural significance in indigenous mysticism. The current population is estimated at less than 15,000 jaguars left in the wild. For every quintal (around 100lbs) of this coffee sold, $1 will be donated to Funación Pro Zoológicos for their efforts to conserve the critical big cats.

Coffee Processing

The Anaerobic process begins with the selection of handpicked ripe, red coffee cherries. Selecting the cherries when they are at their ripest ensures a high sugar content, which helps feed the anaerobic process.

At the mill, the coffee is depulped with a portion of the mucilage left intact. From there, the coffee is put in air-tight, stainless-steel tanks with the mucilage left on. The absence of oxygen stimulates an anaerobic fermentation process. The process develops in a unique series of acids such as lactic and malic, which results in a very complex flavor. Once the coffee has been fermented sufficiently, it is dried to 11.5% moisture and rested to allow complex and exotic flavors to develop.

Costa Rica Green Coffee

Coffee in Costa Rica is as advanced as it gets. The country has a reputation for delivering high quality and innovation – a winning combination that earns Costa Rica the right to sell coffee at a premium. Costa Rica’s quality socio-economic infrastructure programs, such as universal healthcare, high education levels, sophisticated agronomy and research, and well-regulated agricultural sustainability programs, certainly contribute to the high cost (and high value) of the coffee. Additionally, when coffee roasters buy Costa Rican green coffee, producers receive nearly 80% of the FOB value, guaranteed. Read more in our Costa Rica Green Coffee Origin Report.