- Dates: 11 – 14th of February
- Optional extra: 15th – 18th of February (tourism days)
- Price: 700 euro
- Included: conference ticket, hotel during conference days, local transport, food
- Not included: flight tickets, travel insurance, visa, vaccines, hotel outside of conference days etc
- Location: San Jose and Terrazu, Costa Rica
- Stay up to date on news on our facebook page
Ever wanted to go on an origin trip?
This event brings together roasters, retailers, producers and local coffee scientists. Learn from experts on the latest trends on how specialty coffee is produced, processed and traded in Costa Rica.
The three-day event is organized with a mix of lectures, cuppings, field trips, panel discussions, and practical activities. Topics such as cultivars coffee processing and production, economics at producer level and sustainability will be covered… with a focus on the Costa Rican context.
We believe a smart and creative way to foster our industry and community is through experiences and education about sustainable quality production and supply chain. That’s why we have created a space to talk, cup and discuss to raise awareness of our actions and the impact we make as actors in this industry. And what better way is there than to experience this together with producers and experts in origin.
View detailed program here.
The conference will take place in the middle of the harvest season in Costa Rica, a very interesting time to be visiting. Read more about Nordic Approach’s work in Costa Rica.
The most fascinating thing with Costa Rica is the awareness of lot separation and different processing and preparation methods. The producers are investing in infrastructure and are interested in experiments and product development. You’ll find great representative coffees of everything from fully washed, different levels of honeys as well as clean and complex naturals.
The Hotel
We will be staying at Cedrela EcoLodge (included in the ticket price), a pioneering hotel in the highlands of Dota, Tarrazú Region. The lodge is nestled in a 15-hectare farm where you can find coffee, avocado, apples, apricots and berries. It is surrounded by a forest which adds to its scenic beauty and makes it a great place to rest and be in contact with nature.
We believe this cosy venue will inspire good conversations and community.
Practical Information about Costa Rica
Capital: San Jose.
Airport: Juan Santamaria, San Jose.
Currency: colones, most of the business accept US$ in cash and credit cards.
Distance from Airport Juan Santamaria to San Jose city center (most likely where the point of reunion will be to drive everybody to Tarrazu): 17km/ 30 min drive depending on traffic.
Distance from San Jose to Tarrazu (where the event will take place): 72 km/ approximately 2 hours drive depending on traffic
Food: Local fresh food, grown by local growers e.g seasonal tropical fruits, seasonal fresh vegetables, sea food, meat from local farmers. We will have vegan options. Please let us know through email if you have any allergies ahead of time.
Weather in February: The average temperatures oscillate around 20-25 degree Celsius in Tarrazu. February is the middle of the dry season in Costa Rica’s Central Valley and Pacific coast. The western and central regions of Costa Rica have sunny hot weather and nearly no rain. What little rain falls usually comes as afternoon or evening showers. There might be some wind. These winds are most common in the northwest and are caused by cooler, dry air moving down from the north and displacing the moist, warm dense, tropical air mass.
What to pack: light and comfortable clothes, long pants, some shorts, a sweater as it can get chilly in the evening, good comfortable closed shoes, sport shoes, camera, insect repellent, sunblock, hat or cap to protect from the sun.
Cellphone service: you can get a SIM car for $5 and can have national and international service in the country with a prepaid plan for 4-5 days. Or you can bring your international service from your country with you.
Visa: remember to check with your country the Visa requirements to travel to Costa Rica.
Vaccine: check if you require to get any vaccine when traveling to Costa Rica.
Schedule
11th of February:
| 11-feb.-18 | Arrive in Costa Rica | |
| 11-feb.-18 | 9:00 |
Optional: Walk in city center to learn about coffee history and local specialty coffee culture in Costa Rica (3 hours)
|
| 11-feb.-18 | 14:00 | Travel to Tarrazu region |
| 11-feb.-18 | 17:00 | Check-in at Cedrela Hotel |
| 11-feb.-18 | 19:00 | Dine and review overall program |
12th of February:
| 12-feb.-18 | 7:00 | Wake-up and have breakfast |
| 12-feb.-18 | 8:00 | Walk to the Finca Integral San Francisco (venue, ~3km away) |
| 12-feb.-18 | 9:00 | Learn about Costa Rica’s coffee sector: history, evolution, supply chain, micro mills |
| 12-feb.-18 | 9:30 | Cup different coffees from the micro mills in Costa Rica |
| 12-feb.-18 | 10:30 | Learn about genetic improvement and selection of varieties for improve leaf rust resistance, cup profile and yield. |
| 12-feb.-18 | 12:00 | Lunch at Finca Integral San Francisco (venue) |
| 12-feb.-18 | 13:00 | Learn about balanced nutrition in the field that is tested in the cup |
| 12-feb.-18 | 14:00 | Travel to coffee farm (Santa Teresa, Don Eli, La Montana) |
| 12-feb.-18 | 15:00 | Visit a coffee farm |
| 12-feb.-18 | 17:00 | Travel to Finca Integral San Francisco (venue) |
| 12-feb.-18 | 18:00 | Taste local, coffee-infused beers and informal Q&A (sponsored by Yara) |
| 12-feb.-18 | 19:00 | Dine BBQ at venue (sponsored by Yara) |
| 12-feb.-18 | 21:00 | Travel to hotel |
13th of February:
| 13-feb.-18 | 7:00 | Wake-up and have breakfast |
| 13-feb.-18 | 8:00 | Travel to Coopedota (farmer cooperative and large mill) |
| 13-feb.-18 | 9:00 | Learn about operations at a farmer cooperative and review different processing techniques |
| 13-feb.-18 | 10:00 | Cup coffees from different processes viewed in the Coopedota mill visit |
| 13-feb.-18 | 11:00 | Lunch (sponsored by Coopedota) |
| 13-feb.-18 | 12:00 | Travel from Coopedota to Tesoros (company that prepares coffee for export) |
| 13-feb.-18 | 14:00 | Learn about coffee defects using a crash course approach |
| 13-feb.-18 | 15:00 | Cup coffees to learn how to detect defects and grades |
| 13-feb.-18 | 16:00 | Optional Cupping |
| 13-feb.-18 | 17:00 | Taste local beers and informal Q&A Rodolfo presentation |
| 13-feb.-18 | 18:00 | Dine at Tesoros (sponsored by Tesoros) |
| 13-feb.-18 | 20:00 | Travel to hotel |
14th of February:
| 14-feb.-18 | 7:00 | Wake-up and have breakfast |
| 14-feb.-18 | 8:00 | Walk to the Finca Integral San Francisco (venue, ~3km away) |
| 14-feb.-18 | 9:00 | Learn about coffee storage |
| 14-feb.-18 | 10:30 | Learn about different cultivars and factors that affect the coffee taste profile. |
| 14-feb.-18 | 11:00 | Cup different cultivars |
| 14-feb.-18 | 12:00 | Lunch at Finca Integral San Francisco (venue) |
| 14-feb.-18 | 13:30 | Learn about challenges of producing Geisha at high altitudes |
| 14-feb.-18 | 14:00 | Learn about how an anaerobic fermentation process can impact the taste profile |
| 14-feb.-18 | 15:00 | Learn about new techniques for using less water in coffee processing without impacting coffee quality |
| 14-feb.-18 | 15:30 | Cup coffees that highlight topics discussed in previous 3 presentations |
| 14-feb.-18 | 17:00 | Conclude the event with summary remarks |
| 14-feb.-18 | 18:00 | Dine at Finca Integral San Francisco (venue) |
| 14-feb.-18 | 20:00 | Travel to hotel |
15th of February:
| 15-feb.-18 | 8:00 | Wake-up and have breakfast |
| 15-feb.-18 | 9:00 | Departure to San Jose |
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