www.CostaRicaTicas.com

When I’m visiting Costa Rica, I always enjoy a cup or three of coffee brewed with Costa Rican beans. I will usually take home some beans for friends and family. So, this article in the Tico Times caught my eye.
http://www.ticotimes.net/2014/11/01/the ... good-thing

An informative article that mentions the old “9% law” for Costa Rican coffee growers…very interesting.
Since I’m not a coffee expert, I doubt that I’d notice any differences between the $6/cup La Mesa and the $1/cup of “rojo” that is served at the El Burro.
Just curious if anybody has had the opportunity to visit Cafeoteca or try the La Mesa coffee?
Or…Is there a specific brand of beans that some more experienced coffee drinkers might recommend?

Cheers,
-sport

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All mankind are my brethren...
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I've been to Kalu/Cafeoteca when it was located a block east of the Dunn Inn. It's a very nice cafe/restaurant. Serve very good coffee but never try the La Mesa. They've since move to Barrio Escalante.

http://kalu.co.cr/cafeoteca/

coffee is like pizza...if you like it then it's the best

Is decaf coffee widely available ? My doctor forbids me from enjoying caffeine. Was wondering if I can find a bag or 2 of decaf CR beans to take home.

You can sometimes find decaf in some brands but it will not taste even close to as good as the regular will. In Costa Rica there must not be any, or very, very few, people who can not handle caffeine!

Hell a few years ago (3-4) Coca Cola tried to introduce caffeine free sodas to CR. I remember walking into M&N in San Pedro and seeing this huge display. A week later I was back there and the display had not been touched except for the missing 2 bottles I had bought a week earlier - I was use to drinking decaf coke in the states!! I asked a clerk how it was selling and he said except for 2 bottles that some Gringo had bought they had not sold any! The next week the display was gone and I have not seen a decaf soda of any brand anywhere in CR since!!

A Tico friend who works in one of the coffee vendors in the Central Mercado told me the ONLY people to ever ask about decaf were an occasional Gringo!!. I think they use to carry decaf but I have not noticed any there in several years. Could be wrong- they may have it. I just cannot remember seeing any in a long time!!

I seriously doubt you will find any restaurant that has decaf! Again, I could be wrong since I never ask for it!

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Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!

If you go to Spoon, a very famous chain of cofee stores, you can order decaf. I was also told by my doctor to avoid cafeine, and asked her about decaf as an alternative, but she told me the process to take away the cafeine had some pros and cons, so in the end I drink regular cofee since the benefits of drinking decaf seem marginal...

They got decaf..mas x menos..

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Jaco is called little USA by all ticos

One of the best coffees I have ever had, and confirmed by many friends, is the Peaberry sold by Molina at Mercado central. Smooth, not bitter, great flavor

Peaberry is not some cutesy-poo merchandising name but a type of bean. Here's a CR source that sells world-wide (I noticed 3 different decaf products on this site as well).: http://dokaestate.com/product_info.php?products_id=42 << a bit pricey but look what you're getting.
NOTE: This post is not a recommendation, merely a mention of 1 source.

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"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

Cafe Volio clásico whole beans is what I drink at home. Website is www.cafevolio.com Set up an account ( free) about $9.00 per pound including shipping. Half that at the mercado central on an outside side street, believe it is on the north side of mercado.. GREAT smooth finish!

Bangbang introduced me to a coffee shop called Moka. Ive brought back over 20lbs to the U.S in several trips.

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I just moved to Miami, from the west coast

I also give a thumbs up to Café Moka. It is in one of the corners in the Mercado Central.

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Jaco is called little USA by all ticos

I dont know if it's still there but there was a postage-stamp sized coffee shop down the hill from the SL (leaving SL, take a right at the corner and go about 50-75m and its on the right). They own their own plantation and had some different type of process. The coffee is very good and the owner was very pleasant, chatty, and attractive (but married). It's family run.

Café Moka has very good coffee. They have about 6 different kinds. Most tourist buy the 2 most expensive ones. Most (all?) the Ticos and Me buy the two cheaper ones. For my taste buds, the dark roast cheaper one is by far the best taste. It is about c2700 for a 1/2 kl bag (a little over a pound). If you like a milder coffee the other cheaper one is good.

Also, since it is not always convenient for me to go all the way to Mercado Central when I need coffee I actually usually buy the Montana Brand (c2200 for 1/2 kl at the moment) available in all the grocery stores here. I actually cannot tell the difference in the taste of it and the dark roast moka!! The 1820 brand available in the groceries is also very good

Just my personal opinion but the only thing good about the Britt brand is the marketing program they have! Most Tourist think they have to buy Britt. It is by far the highest priced coffee in CR and in my opinion the worst tasting of all the coffees here-even the very cheap coffees taste better to me. Britt also sells the same coffee locally under a different name and at about 1/4 the price of Britt.

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Old and retired but still bang, and bang, and bang!!!