Costa Rica SHB Washed Coffee from Diamond Mountain Estate

If you’ve ever wondered why some Costa Rican coffees taste brighter, sweeter, and more structured than others, the answer lies in elevation, variety, and processing. This particular lot from the Diamond Mountain Estate in Tarrazú offers a compelling example of how those factors come together to produce a classic SHB profile with distinct clarity and balance.

This Costa Rica SHB coffee is grown at high elevation, processed via traditional washed method, and showcases a clean cup with notes of orange citrus, toast, caramel, and cocoa. It’s produced by local smallholders in the Tarrazú region at the Diamond Mountain Estate using both Caturra and Catuai varieties.

What Is Costa Rica SHB Coffee?

SHB stands for Strictly Hard Bean, a classification given to coffee grown at elevations above 1,200 metres in Costa Rica. At these heights, coffee cherries ripen more slowly, allowing for greater density and more complex flavour development in the beans. Most Costa Rica SHB coffees share traits of bright acidity, medium-to-full body, and a classic sweet profile. Technological advances in processing have also improved consistency across lots.

Why Tarrazú Stands Out Among Costa Rican Regions

Tarrazú is one of Costa Rica’s most renowned coffee-growing regions, known for its rich volcanic soils, high altitudes (typically 1,700–1,800 metres), and excellent drainage. These conditions promote a marked diurnal temperature shift, essential for slow cherry maturation. Though annual flavour profiles vary with weather, Tarrazú consistently produces coffees with vibrant red fruit, citrus, and candy-like brightness. This Diamond Mountain Estate lot expresses light orange citrus, toast, and a clean sugary finish.

Varieties, Processing, and Flavour Profile

The coffee is grown using both Caturra and Catuai varieties—two classic high-yielding, high-quality coffees widely planted in recent decades across Central America. These varieties respond well to the high-altitude conditions and careful processing typical of Costa Rican farms. The beans are processed using the traditional washed (or wet) method, a technique for which Costa Rica has long been known. This involves removing the coffee cherry’s skin and pulp, fermenting the mucilage-free beans, and washing them thoroughly before drying. The result is a clean, consistent cup with enhanced clarity. Flavour notes include a soft orange citrus acidity, toasted bread-like undertones, and a sweet finish of caramel and cocoa.

About the Diamond Mountain Estate

The Diamond Mountain Estate is a smallholder-operated farm located within Costa Rica’s Tarrazú growing region. While many Costa Rican coffees are marketed under regional or cooperative names, this lot highlights the work of individual producers contributing to the area’s reputation for quality. The estate benefits from Tarrazú’s ideal combination of altitude, volcanic soil, and climate—all of which contribute to the coffee’s vibrant acidity and structured sweetness.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does SHB mean in Costa Rican coffee?

SHB stands for Strictly Hard Bean, indicating coffee grown at elevations above 1,200 metres. In Costa Rica, this classification is used for beans that develop greater density and more complex flavours due to slower ripening at high altitudes.

Where is the Diamond Mountain Estate located?

The Diamond Mountain Estate is located in Costa Rica’s Tarrazú region, a high-altitude area known for producing some of the country’s most celebrated coffees thanks to its volcanic soils and cool climate.

Which coffee varieties are used in this lot?

This coffee is made up of Caturra and Catuai—two common high-altitude varieties in Costa Rica known for their balance of brightness, body, and cup clarity.

How is this coffee processed?

The coffee is processed using the washed method, where the coffee cherry is depulped, fermented to remove the mucilage, washed, and then dried. This method results in a clean and consistent cup profile.

What flavours can I expect from this Costa Rica SHB?

Expect a clean cup with light orange citrus notes, a toasted bread-like character, and a sweet finish of caramel and cocoa. The cup is described as having a bright acidity and a smooth, refined mouthfeel.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Bright, Clean Coffee

For a similar bright and clean Costa Rican profile, try FrontStreet Coffee’s Costa Rica Blackberry—known for its complex berry notes and rich sweetness from black honey processing. Alternatively, FrontStreet’s Costa Rica Mozart offers a unique grape-dried profile with fermented wine and floral tones. Both showcase the country’s signature clarity and sweetness. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.