Costa Rica — Alvarado Fonseca Family Los Tonos Milenio F1 (Washed)

Tastes Like — 🍑 Stone Fruits • 🍐 Pear • 🍇 Raisins

DETAILS

• Producer: Alvarado Fonseca Family
• Farm: Los Tonos / Microbeneficio Corazón de Jesús
• Region: Brunca, Buena Vista, Rivas, Costa Rica
• Varietal: Milenio F1
• Process: Washed (Lactic Fermentation)
• Altitude: 1700–1850 MASL
• Harvest: 2024–2025
• Size: 250g

INTRO

Microbeneficio Corazón de Jesús, established in 2015 by the Alvarado Fonseca family in Costa Rica's Brunca region, is producing some of the most innovative and distinctive coffees to emerge from this historically underrated growing area. Their Milenio F1, processed through a carefully managed lactic fermentation, delivers a compelling profile of stone fruits, pear, and raisins — precise, layered, and unmistakably refined.

Suited for both Filter and Espresso, this lot showcases what happens when a family-run microbeneficio combines traditional Costa Rican diligence with forward-thinking process experimentation.

THE PRODUCER

Led by John Alvarado and Katthya Fonseca, together with their children, the Alvarado Fonseca family founded Microbeneficio Corazón de Jesús in 2015 with a clear ambition: to demonstrate that the Brunca region — long overlooked in favour of Tarrazú and other celebrated Costa Rican zones — could produce exceptional specialty coffee. Each family member contributes to the operation, from cultivation and fermentation to drying and quality control.

The farm, Los Tonos, sits at 1700–1850 MASL in Buena Vista, Rivas, within the Brunca growing region. Corazón de Jesús is proudly certified by the Bandera Azul (Blue Flag) Programme, a Costa Rican initiative promoting responsible water management and environmental stewardship — a commitment that shapes everything from their processing water usage to their drying practices.

With hard work, generational unity, and a genuine vision for quality, the Alvarado Fonseca family has become one of the most exciting producers to follow from Costa Rica's emerging south.

THE PROCESS

The Washed process at Corazón de Jesús involves an innovative lactic fermentation:

• 🍒 Selective Harvest — Only fully ripe cherries are hand-picked on the day of processing.
• 🔧 Same-Day Depulping — Cherries are pulped on the day of harvest to prevent unwanted pre-fermentation.
• 🧪 Lactic Fermentation — Depulped beans ferment in their mucilage, guided by native microorganisms from the farm environment. This controlled lactic process enhances aromatic complexity whilst preserving the varietal's character.
• 💧 Washing — Once the ideal pH is reached, coffee is washed to remove remaining mucilage cleanly.
• ☀️ Slow Drying — Beans are dried on raised beds, then transferred to patios for a final, carefully extended drying stage to refine sweetness and structural balance.
• 📅 Parchment Resting — After drying, coffee rests in parchment for 6–8 weeks to achieve full flavour development before milling.

This patient, innovation-led process produces a cup of remarkable cleanliness, aromatic lift, and natural sweetness — a true reflection of the family's commitment to quality and environmental responsibility.

THE CUP

A pristine and elegantly structured washed Costa Rica that leads with the warmth of ripe stone fruits — peach, plum — before a delicate pear sweetness and lingering raisin depth emerge through a clean, extended finish. The Milenio F1 varietal lends a pleasing weight and clarity, whilst the lactic fermentation adds a subtle aromatic lift that elevates this well above the Costa Rican average.

Flavour Notes

• 🍑 Stone Fruits
• 🍐 Pear
• 🍇 Raisins