Costa Rica Volcan Azul Starmaya
Costa Rica Volcan Azul Starmaya Natural
I am brimming with excitement at the moment, as Alejo’s coffees are just tasting fantastic. Initially, the pre-shipment Starmaya (F1 Hybrid) wasn’t my favourite sample, but I am a fan and believer that we should support and encourage change and innovation. I haven’t had an average coffee from Volcan Azul yet, either. Wait for the “U-turn”, as soon as we roasted for the process, the Starmaya F1 transformed into something fantastic.
You can try and forgive my bold writing below, but this is the first coffee F1 Hybrid, varietal. If you have ever grown tomatoes or cucumbers, the best and most consistent varieties are often F1 Hybrids and come at a relative premium.
Once again, I fully expect the flavour potential to change over the next few months, as this coffee is very fresh.
I hope you are half as keen on Volcan Azul (as I am) and the ethos that comes with 5 generations and 150 years of producing coffee.
Farm Stats
(Top Trumps if you prefer)
Farmer: Alejo Castro
Farm; Volcan Azul
Area: Alajuela, Costa Rica.
Established: 1850, 5th generation farm.
Hectares: 55
Altitude: 1540-1720 Meters above sea level
Varietal: Starmaya F1 (Marsallesa x wild Ethiopian/Sudanese natural mutant).” Starmaya is the first F1 hybrid in the world propagated by seed”.
Process: Natural (Sun dried)
Roast: One Roast
Cup Potential 🥣
Aromatics: Big, sweet, dried fruit | Body:Medium-creamy | Acidity: Soft and Sweet |
On opening, the nose hasn’t lied. This is deeply sweet and a mixture of date and prune-like sweetness. As the liquor opens up, it becomes sweet like carob, with a glimmer of soft, sweet acidity. This vaguely reminds me of an old-fashioned “cheese”, like a very sweet jelly, that is so sugary you can only just recognise the fruit, by the colour contents of the jar.
On cooling, one could creatively point all of the potential at a Black Forest Gatueax, as the acidity peaks there is an ambiguous;potential for the call. All of the way down to cold, the ripe brown sugars remain, although less dramatic.
Filter Recipe: For me, so far this has been best in cafetiere and also oddly good in a 9oz milk-based drink.
Espresso Potential.
Recipe: 17g of coffee into 34g of espresso liquid for milk-based drinks. 94C and above There is so much soluble that I didn’t want for more. 27-30 seconds
9oz Milk-based drink: Chocolate, cream and rum.
6oz Milk-based drink: Busy!, Intense fruit, dark chocolate and needs to rest more.
Espresso: 17.5-18g 45-60g 30-35 seconds
Super sweet, brown fruit sugars and a touch of drying in the finish.
If you fancy sharing your brews with us, there is always JG Instagram
