Volcán Azul
Each successive generation brought new innovations and techniques, adapting to changes in the industry while preserving traditional methods. Volcan Azul, owned by Alejo Castro, is a distinguished coffee farm located in the highlands of Costa Rica.
Alejo, whose family has a long tradition in coffee cultivation, has dedicated himself to elevating the farm's quality and environmental responsibility. Under his
management, Volcan Azul has become renowned for its meticulous approach to coffee production, including advanced drying and processing methods, as well as the cultivation of unique coffee varieties.
Volcan Azul, has garnered praise for its commitment to environmentally friendly practices and high-quality coffee, emphasizing his dedication to innovation and sustainability. Alejo tackles coffee diseases like leaf rust, insects, and fungi with meticulous control measures, using traps instead of insecticides to maintain a balanced ecosystem. During Costa Rica’s heavy rains, he carefully manages tree care to protect yields. With over 40 coffee varieties, including disease-resistant types, Alejo minimizes disease spread and ensures crop health. His dedication to soil management and sustainable practices has improved the farm’s environmental impact and significantly enhanced the flavor of their beans, earning Volcan Azul a reputation for excellence in the specialty coffee industry.
About the H10 variety: The H10 Hybrid, also known as Milenio, is a carefully crafted cross between the Sarchimor T5296 and Sudan Rume coffee varieties. Renowned for its impressive high yield and rapid maturation, this hybrid reaches its first harvest in as little as two years. Developed through a collaborative effort between PROMECAFE, CATIE, and various national coffee institutes across Central America, the H10 Hybrid stands as one of the pioneering F1 hybrid varieties, setting a new standard for coffee
cultivation in the region.
For this specific red honey lot, process starts with the careful handpicking of ripe coffee cherries, followed by pulping to remove the outer skin while retaining a significant amount of mucilage. The coffee beans are dried 4 days on patios imparting a natural sweetness and rich body to the coffee, and are then refined in mechanical dryers for 28 hours until they reach a 11% moisture rate.
Location: Alajuela, Costa Rica
Producer: Alejo Castro
Altitude 1500-1600 meters
Variety: H10
Process: Red Honey
Arrive Date: November,2024
About the farm: The history of Volcan Azul and Alejo’s family is deeply intertwined with the development of Costa Rica’s coffee industry. The family’s journey began in the early 19th century with Alejo Castro Jiménez in Costa Rica and Wilhelm Kahle in the south of Mexico after acquiring land in the fertile highlands of Costa Rica. Today this place is referred to as Hacienda Colima, a farm still owned and operated by Alejo.
