{"product_id":"r-lica-torres-black-cherry-natural","title":"Lica Torres - Black Cherry Natural","description":"\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMEET THE PRODUCER |\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNestled at the foot of Chirripo Volcano, the three-hectare farm owned by Lica Torres and his family is one of only a few such courageous endeavors in Brunca, the southernmost coffee-growing region in Costa Rica. Conditions there aren't exactly idyllic; the soil is rocky, the incline steep, and the weather is often either a little too hot or a little too cold to grow any particular crop with tremendous success. Lica's father initially planted pine trees on the farm, but farming wood is a slow-going process that doesn't yield dividends very quickly. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEnter: Lica's big idea.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn 2020, Lica began to notice other families in the area growing coffee with some success, and he had just been introduced to a new, experimental hybrid variety called Milenio, which was being planted at lower elevations in Brunca. Lica decided to take a big risk and plant Milenio trees on his farm, which sits between 1500–1600 MASL. The result looked promising even after the first year, and Lica has since endeavored to cultivate other coffee varieties at elevation. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLica’s triumphs in coffee growing are perhaps only rivaled by his triumphs in coffee processing, and the Black Cherry protocol is perhaps his most prolific—and also one of the most difficult to pull off. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTRUST THE PROCESS | \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBlack Cherry is a process coined by the Torres family and controlled meticulously at the Cerro Buena Vista Wet Mill. As with any \"normal\" natural processing method, ripe coffee cherries are collected by hand and taken to the mill, but Lica allows these cherries to linger on the plant a little past peak ripeness, and the cherries start to take on a darker hue as a result. At the wet mill, they are placed in propylene bags for about 24 hours before being spread out on raised beds to begin drying. Once the parchment approaches 15–20% moisture content, the lot is re-collected into plastic bags and placed in storage for seven days, where fermentation continues to occur at a glacial pace. Finally, the cherries are put back out to dry—on concrete beds this time—until the remaining 5–10% humidity points are lost.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTAKE A SIP |\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe black cherry process might refer to the appearance of dried coffee fruit, but serendipitously, this coffee boasts cherry for days. Cocktail cherry and port wine lead the acidity of this coffee, while milk chocolate hums quietly in the background. Confectionary sweetness like white icing elevates the cup to transcendent sweetness.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin |\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRivas, Brunca, Costa Rica\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProducer |\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDon Lica Torres\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFarm |\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCerro Buena Vista\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProcess |\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBlack Cherry Natural\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVariety |\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCatuaí\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb id=\"docs-internal-guid-229b9f00-7fff-ebb9-33a0-798f715c74aa\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eElevation | \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e1500 MASL\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Black \u0026 White Coffee Roasters","offers":[{"title":"12oz","offer_id":51438831436089,"sku":"BWSO-LiT-CN12","price":26.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"2lb","offer_id":51438831468857,"sku":"BWSO-LiT-CN02","price":68.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"5lb","offer_id":51438831501625,"sku":"BWSO-LiT-CN05","price":170.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2988\/2574\/files\/LicaTorresBlackCHerryNaturalonline_2205_4x_1.png?v=1765828046","url":"https:\/\/www.blackwhiteroasters.mom\/products\/r-lica-torres-black-cherry-natural","provider":"Black \u0026 White Coffee Roasters","version":"1.0","type":"link"}