Given the quality of Costa Rica's coffee and in a continuing effort to improve quality, the producers of some of the best coffees have joined in creating the Specialty Coffee Association of Costa Rica. The primary objective of this group is to promote Costa Rica's coffee on the international gourmet market, thereby projecting not only the image of the product and the country but also encouraging the production and consumption of specialty coffees around the world.

The environmental conditions under which coffee is grown influence the physical characteristics of the seeds, the quality of which is well known to coffee connoisseurs. The altitude at which coffee is grown and the amount of water available to the plants are crucial. In Costa Rica, rainfall, relative humidity and temperature are lower at higher altitudes. There is also a difference between conditions in the Atlantic and Pacific watersheds. These differences, as well as the care with which processing and other operations are carried out, have given the Costa Rican specialty coffees high marks among international buyers.

For gourmets only

Coffee produced according to the standards of the Specialty Coffee Association of Costa Rica satisfies even the most demanding taste buds, thanks to the observance of strict guidelines at every stage of production from sowing of the seed to harvesting and commercialization.

Specialty coffee producers throughout the country have been trained to harvest only red cherries of uniform size, in order to produce a full-bodied cup of coffee which occurs once the cherries have been put through a special roasting process.

• On order to qualify specialty coffee the following specifications must be met:
  At least ninety-nine percent (99%) of each batch must consist of ripe red cherries.
  
• One hundred percent (100%) of the coffee beans are put through special treatment processes to control and prevent contamination.
  
• The maximum permissible roasting temperature is 122° F, which guarantees a longer drying period without forcing the outer texture of the coffee cherry.
  
• Each batch must be sorted after drying, so as to eliminate defective cherries before storing the parchment.
  
• Each lot of coffee beans must be approved by an expert cupping panel (at least 7 panel members per session), working in blind sessions. At least two samples of other coffees from the same area must be included for purposes of comparison.
  
• In order to be approved, a batch must score at least 32 points out of 40, or be graded with a score of eighty percent (80%) for aroma, acidity, body and taste.
  
• The coffee must be prepared according to the standards of the Specialty Coffee Association of America, in terms of bean texture, color and size.
  
• An external agent must supervise the processing of each lot.
  
• Processing details and methods are recorded in a separate log for each lot. Such logs provide consumers with accurate information on the entire process, from the time the coffee is picked to the time it is shipped.