www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I just started buying whole coffee beans and grinding just before brewing in my auto drip coffee maker. I am dissapointed with the flavor of the coffee. I love the coffee they brew in costa rica(news cafe). Does anybody know what brand the costa rican hotels buy ? Can I buy the same beans online ? I have researched a couple different costa rican brands online, but I wanted to be sure before I buy.

Cafe Brit

That is it, Cafe Brit.
I have been buying bean and grinding just b4 brewing for years! Until my trip to CR in August, I always bought Gevalia.
But, I bought some at the duty free at the airport when I was leaving. Now, I need to go back and buy more!
I go for the coffee, the chicas are a bonus!
Ha ha ha! Not really, how many were paying attention to that bull!

16 days to paradise!

Pura Vida!

IMO the best quality coffee for the best price is the Cafe Britt Tarrazu and the Cafe Britt Tres Rios Valdivia - these are their premium export varieties and one step up from what you are drinking at the Hotel Del Rey Coffee shop and (I think) at most of the other coffee shops and hotels.

There has been and was on my last trip a pricing loophole in purchasing these two Cafe Britt premium brands at the airport - they have had a special for a while of purchasing 6 bags of Cafe Britt for $36 and then getting two free; this comes out to only $4.50 a bag with no tax! - I have seen many people buy the special and settle for the basic green or red bags of Cafe Britt (which are still quite good IMO) when they could get the premium varieties for the same price. If you purchase the premium varieties of these coffees online (even in bulk) you will pay more; same with purchasing the premium blends at Mas y Menos. The pricing for the premiums in stores or on line is about $1 more per bag.

When I serve either of the premium blends to friends (and I also buy whole bean and grind it just before brewing) my visitors are amazed at the taste and want some - so I have been getting 8 bags this way every trip and can't buy enough. I may even get 16 bags (8 on my arrival - 8 on my departure) on the next trip. I hope this is helpful.

I really think almost all the coffee in CR is great. Cafe Britt is good also but it costs alot more than the others. In a big supermarket the various brands cost around 1.50 US per pound. I like volio, montana, 1876, cafe rey... I used to bring back 20-30 pounds of various Cr coffee on every trip to drink and to give to friends as gifts. I like the dark and expresso roasts the best. Every bit as good as starbucks coffee but for a buck and a half instead of 11$. Also I think french press coffee maker gives the best taste and flavor.

I agree that the Terrazu is excellent coffee. I have always bought it in the supermarkets in CR and it is very reasonable. I never buy it at the tourist places or the airport. My last trip I bought a bagof each type I could find and prefer the Terrazu to all the others, although the others are not bad either. Either way, the coffee in CR is better and cheaper than Maxwell House in the US.

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Tunaman

I tweak a little whenever I see "Costa Rica" as the coffee of the day at the shop down the street. But the costarican coffee here is nowhere near the taste. Must be some kind of blend or something.