Finca Aquiares: A natural and coffee paradise in Costa Rica

As is customary, every year the team of specialists from Incapto Coffee, usually travels through different countries, with the aim of looking for new coffee projects with which it is intended to exchange values. Even, if possible, bring coffee beans from the farms that we usually visit. Among them the Aquiares farm in Costa Rica, which we last visited in 2019 and where we spent a few days.

The purpose of our tour around the world is to bring coffee from the main producing countries, from where we obtain the varieties that we import and subsequently, offer it through the product catalog on the web portal of Incapto Coffee.

That said, in this article we will talk about the Aquiares farm, from its production process and to how they have managed to consolidate themselves within the market. In addition to offering quality grains, they are also a benchmark in terms of sustainability.

a little history

In case you didn't know, the Aquiares farm It is located on the slopes of the Turrialba volcano, in the middle of the Aquiares and Turrialba rivers. It is one of the oldest from Costa Rica, since it has about 100 years of production. In fact, much of its excellent reputation is due to its sustainable practices. Thanks to this, they have been able to preserve the environment. As if that were not enough, they are responsible for supporting a large community of at least 2 thousand people.

Aquiares, which means land between rivers in the indigenous Huetar language, was founded in 1980, when a group of adventurers considered an opportunity to take advantage of the railroad that took them to the Costa Rican port of Limón. Through the birth of this farm, a benefiting process was born: it was washing, a practice that has been around since its beginnings and that years later Costa Rica would establish within the industry.

Everything was going smoothly. The quality of the coffee harvested in these lands would later open doors to international lands, because they not only found customers in Europe, but also in the United States and Japan.

The Lindo family, of British origin, were the first owners of the estate. In 1925, they imported an aluminum church from Belgium and Italian stained glass. Today, this church continues standing and is the heart of the Aquiares community.

By 1949, the Aquiares farm It had new owners. It was the family of former president Pepe Figueres, a character who abolished the Costa Rican army. The popular owners took the reins of said land until the early 70s, when three families with close ties assumed ownership.

On our last visit in 2019, we were completely impressed. Let's say that if you are a lover of nature and animals, the Aquiares farm is a paradise. This area of ​​51,000 km2 is home to more than 5% of the planet's biodiversity. By just spending 48 hours there, we managed to see more variety of fauna and flora than in our entire lives.

As expected, Incapto Coffee has chosen Aquiares coffee to be our first limited edition, since we consider it to be an international benchmark for sustainable agriculture. As if that were not enough, they have the Rainforest Alliance certificate, which we will explain later.

Sustainability in Costa Rica

The government of Costa Rica, which is aware of the wealth of biodiversity it has, has decided to provide it with full protection. That is why there are a total of 27 national parks throughout the country. As a result of this, several private companies, including the Aquiares farm, follow national protection and conservation regulations, which is why they join causes that help mitigate climate change.

A large number of Costa Ricans are also aware of the riches of their land and biodiversity, so they do not hesitate to take care of it, maintain it and not dirty it. In short, preserving and caring for the country is integrated into their culture. For example, in Costa Rica, coffee capsules are not popular at all. On the contrary, if you ask about them they will tell you that these types of products do not make any sense, since it is not known what is really done with their waste.

That is why in bars, restaurants and cafes, it is more common to see a coffee dripper, which is a device for preparing coffee, widely used in Costa Rica. It consists of placing the ground beans in a cloth or filter and then adding hot water. We can also find a bandola or espresso machine.

Wonderful natural setting

This is one of the largest estates in Costa Rica on a single block. 80% of its land is dedicated to growing coffee, while 20% is dedicated to the protection of forests. Shade trees transform what would be a monoculture environment, that is, a holistic natural place.

The crop fields are interrupted by streams and channels, all of which are protected under the national standards of the Rainforest Alliance. The streams create a natural system that connects the two largest channels that surround the farm.

This allows the rich bio-environment of the farm to follow normal life patterns with as little human intervention as possible. Thanks to this, a much healthier environment can be achieved, and this is favorable for native species of animals, plants and birds. Therefore, it is very easy to find coyotes, squirrels, armadillos, sloth bears, as well as dozens of birds and other species around the farm.

Another interesting fact is that in recent decades the Aquiares farm has planted approximately 50,000 shade trees, creating natural corridors along streams and water sources.

What is the Rainforest Alliance certificate?

It is an international non-profit organization that addresses the intersection of business, agriculture and forests. It has offices in New York City and Amsterdam. A simple way to explain is that this organization has lines of action in two areas: the first of them refers to the natural environment. That is why certified farms protect the forests that are around them. In addition, rivers, soils and fauna must also be conserved.

In the background the Rainforest Alliance, is also in charge of the farmers, since it must be shown that they are treated with respect, that their wages are fair and that they carry out their duties with the correct materials. At the same time they promote their human rights and adaptation to the climate crisis. At the same time, they guarantee that workers' families have access to health and education.

By 2007, the farm ranked first for attempting to calculate its carbon balance. To explain it better, the project to measure the carbon flow was based on saying how many greenhouse gases the farm emitted. Taking the process into account, they also pointed out how many gases they collect with the plantation and the adjacent trees. The truth is that this place is certified Carbon Neutral. The most used certificate in the world, used by at least 300 clients in 30 countries. This verifies that the reduction, metering and compensation are within the parameters of the Carbon Neutral Protocol. This also verifies that the highest standards of quality and sustainability are being met.

Why do we select your coffee?

Of all the coffees produced in Central America, Incapto Coffee has decided on those of the Aquiares farm. The reasons are that, first, they are characterized by being grains previously selected manually, a task carried out by specialized collectors, who only lean towards mature grains. For this reason, the pickers are paid a premium, ensuring that 99% of the cherries picked are at their optimal point.

Secondly we have preparation. They are specialty grade, which means they are defect-free and top-notch, something that would not affect the taste of the cup.

Finally, the profile of the drink reflects aromas of nuts after a caramelized taste, with a creamy body, this being perfect for any espresso lover who wants to replace the consumption of capsules with a much more natural option.

You can discover it, in half and one kilo formats, in our coffee from Costa Rica Cartago Aquiares.