Costa Rica Cordillera de Fuego

Origin: Tarrazú, Costa Rica

Processing: Anaerobic

Varietal: Caturra & Catuai

Altitude: 1,600 to 1,750m

Our Costa Rica Cordillera de Fuego is one of the most distinctive coffees we roast. Its anaerobic process creates a juicy, jammy cup with natural cinnamon and raspberry notes that immediately set it apart from a more traditional coffee. It’s the kind of coffee where people take a sip and immediately say, “This is different.” In a very good way.

This is a coffee for more adventurous drinkers who enjoy exploring just how different specialty coffee can taste. The fruit is vibrant, the cinnamon character is naturally present in the coffee, and the overall cup is complex without losing its sweetness.

Our team especially recommends pour-over for this coffee. Taking a little more time with the brew helps bring out the nuances created by the processing method and lets the raspberry, cinnamon, and jammy character really come through.

What Makes This Coffee Different?

The standout characteristic of Cordillera de Fuego is its anaerobic processing. Fermentation plays a much larger role in shaping the finished cup, creating flavors and aromas that can be dramatically different from traditionally processed coffees.

For this lot, that process helps produce the juicy, fruit-forward character and naturally distinctive cinnamon notes that make the coffee so memorable.

Anaerobic Process

The coffee cherries are selected at approximately 26 Brix before being depulped. The coffee is then placed into stainless steel fermentation tanks with its mucilage still intact.

As fermentation progresses, oxygen inside the tanks decreases while carbon dioxide and pressure increase. During this controlled environment, lactic and malic acids develop and help shape the coffee’s distinctive flavor profile. After fermentation, the coffee is sun dried.

About Cordillera del Fuego

This coffee is produced by Luis Eduardo Campos of Cordillera del Fuego in Tarrazú, Costa Rica. The region is well known for specialty coffee production, but the experimental processing used for this lot gives it a character that stands apart from a more traditional Costa Rican coffee.

High-Elevation Costa Rican Coffee

Cordillera de Fuego is grown at approximately 1,600–1,750 meters above sea level and includes Caturra and Catuai coffee varieties. The harvest typically runs from November through March.

Combined with its high-elevation growing conditions, the anaerobic process creates a coffee designed for people who want to explore something more unusual, fruit-forward, and expressive in the cup.

Please note: Tasting notes vary by harvest and roast batch. The “Tasting Notes” listed above the roast and acidity scales reflect our team’s assessment of the current batch, based on our tasting and experience. Your cup may taste a little different depending on your brewing method, grind, water, and freshness.

Produced by Luis Eduardo Campos in the Tarrazú region of Costa Rica, this Caturra lot showcases the distinct profile of the Costa Rica Cordillera de Fuego. The Caturra varietal is widely recognized for its balanced acidity and adaptability, though its final expression is heavily influenced by the producer's specific techniques. In this instance, the coffee undergoes an anaerobic process, a method that often intensifies the fruit-forward characteristics and body of the bean.

Lightwave Coffee highlights notes of cinnamon, raspberry, and jammy sweetness in this selection. When evaluating such complex profiles, it is helpful to reference the flavor wheel to better identify the nuances created by the fermentation environment. Grown at an altitude of 1600-1750 masl, this coffee represents a meticulous approach to post-harvest processing, resulting in a cup that bridges the gap between traditional regional characteristics and the bold, experimental flavors often associated with anaerobic fermentation.