Hermosa, Costa Rica

The area known as Tarrazu is divided into three parts – Dota, Tarrazzu, and Leon Cortes. It is also often known as Los Santos as the three main towns are San Pablo, San Marcos, and Santa Maria de Dota.

In the small town of Santa Maria de Dota, at the centre of the coffee growers of Tarrazu, is the coffee processing mill and facilities belonging to Coope Dota. It was established back in 1960 with 96 producers banding together, and by 2017 they had grown to 800. The cooperative has grown quickly, with fair pricing, good quality and a focus on the people, and they currently represent nearly 1100 producers.

Prior to the arrival of Coopedota, coffee farming in the area was difficult. The producers had little or no expertise in agronomy, the coffee was sold to middlemen who paid producers unfairly, and there were no wet mills nearby, which meant a long trip to be able to process their coffee.

In 2011, Coope Dota was the first coffee processor in the world to be certified as carbon neutral. And, sustainability is about more than just the people and business elements. 2024 saw the launch of Project One – this meant that Coope Dota worked with CATIE and CAIA Alexandria (Advanced Center for Applied Research) to develop not only an improved fertiliser from the waste water from the honey processing, but to capture pollution from the air as a part of the fertiliser creation process. Their aim is to go further than being carbon neutral, but from removing it from the air rather than offsetting.

Expect tasting notes of pear, cashew nuts, chocolate mocha.

Recommended brew methods:
Espresso, filter, cafetiere, AeroPress, stovetop

100% Hermosa, Costa Rica
Farm: Coopedota community members
Region: Santa Maria de Dota, Tarrazzu
Altitude: 1500 - 1800 MASL
Processing: Washed
Varieties: Caturra, Catuai