Costa Rica El Cedral Natural – Huckleberry Roasters

Huckleberry Roasters is based in Denver, Colorado and joins the long list of amazing Denver-area roasters I’ve had the opportunity to try. This El Cedral Costa Rican joins the growing list of wonderful naturally processed Central American coffees I’ve had the chance to try this year. This one comes from CoopeDota, a cooperative of growers based in the Dota cantón of Costa Rica’s Central Valley and is the fourth year Huckleberry Roasters has offered the coffee (I love long-term relationships between growers and roasters!).

The fragrance of the coffee is fairly intense with sweet and creamy notes of fruit and chocolate. As I began to brew the coffee, the aroma reminded me of chocolate cream. The flavor carried through the sweet creaminess and had notes of almond and subtle berries. The acidity was a bit more muted and the body was medium to full with a smooth, almost silky mouthfeel. The coffee was incredibly balanced and was more approachable than other naturally processed Costa Rican coffees I’ve tried recently, which have had a bit higher acidity. The coffee had a rich sweetness and a creamy, crisp finish where the acidity presented itself a bit more. The coffee worked in a variety of brew methods, but I think performed best in a clean brew set to amplify the coffee’s sweetness.

The Bottom Line

After having a variety of naturally processed Costa Rican coffees recently, I went into this coffee thinking I knew what to expect. It caught me off guard though with its less intense acidity and creamy, rich mouthfeel that was unexpected, yet delightful.