Pilón Coffee Beans

When it comes to Costa Rican coffee, many people mention their unique processing method — honey processing. Among a sea of either tongue-twisting or plain processing names, honey processing seems to lend endless imagination to the art of green coffee bean production.

Of course, that’s not the focus of today’s topic, because in addition to the well-known honey processing, Costa Rica hasn’t abandoned traditional methods such as natural sun-drying either. And just like the standards for honey processing, sun-dried processing is also carried out with meticulous care, resulting in extremely high quality. For example, the beans used by the Japanese champion of the 2018 WBC World Barista Championship came from here.

Costa Rica’s coffee industry began to develop after the mid-18th century, making it one of the first countries in Central America to cultivate coffee. With such a long history, its coffee organizations have established comprehensive systems from production to sales. In terms of both quality and quantity, Costa Rican coffee has consistently earned global recognition and has been rated as world-class high-quality coffee.

The Pilón Processing Plant was also the first government-approved fully sun-dried processing facility. This rare natural sun-drying method delivers intense aromas of nuts, chocolate, and tropical honeyed apples, showcasing exceptional natural flavors. The blue jeep logo on the burlap sacks represents the very vehicle they use to transport their coffee. This special processing plant is located in Costa Rica’s renowned Tarrazú region, on the border of Leon Cortez township, and is owned by Edgar Urena and Efrain Mendez, with a total production of over 100 bags.

It’s clear that no matter what processing method is used, the core always lies in the pursuit of excellence by the coffee producers. As long as climatic and other practical conditions allow, any processing method, when infused with dedication, sweat, and passion, will be vividly reflected in the quality of the green coffee beans.