October Mystery Coffee Reveal - Replica

The farm / washing station:

Marespi is a vertically integrated, third-generation coffee enterprise located in Costa Rica’s Brunca region, where the Acuña family oversees every stage of production—from cultivation on the high-altitude El Aguacate farm (1 890 m.a.s.l.) through wet- and dry-milling to direct export—ensuring full traceability and quality control.. Volcanic soils, consistent mountain rainfall and the cool influence of nearby Cerro Chirripó contribute to the coffee’s refined balance, while Marespi’s sustainability programme reduces chemical inputs, conserves biodiversity and invests in producer training.

What started with a few plots of land and a passion for coffee has grown into a respected exporter known for producing high-quality, fully traceable lots. Located in the West Valley, Marespi works closely with long-term farmer partners, many of whom have collaborated with the family for decades. Sustainability and innovation are central to Marespi’s approach. They emphasize reducing chemical inputs, protecting ecosystems, and promoting biodiversity, while refining honey and natural processing methods that both conserve water and elevate cup quality.

Variety:

Catuai is a hybrid of the highly productive Mundo Novo variety and the compact Caturra variety, created at the Instituto Agronomico (IAC) in Brazil. The plant is highly productive, partly due to its small size, which allows the plants to be close together; it can be planted at almost double the density. The shape of the plant makes it relatively easy to treat against pests and diseases. It is characterized mainly by its great vitality and low height. It is very susceptible to coffee leaf rust. Today, it is considered a variety with good, but not great, cup quality.

Caturra is a natural mutation of the Bourbon variety. It was discovered on a plantation in the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil sometime between 1915 and 1918. Caturra has a mutation in one gene that causes the plant to grow smaller (so-called dwarf/compact). After the discovery of the Caturra variety, selection was carried out at the Instituto Agronomico (IAC) in Brazil from 1937 onwards. Breeders were interested in the small size of the variety, which allows the plants to be placed closer together, and its closely spaced secondary branches, which allow more fruit to be produced in the same space. For decades, it was one of the most economically important coffees in Central America, to such an extent that it was often used (and sometimes still is) as a “benchmark” against which new varieties are tested. The only disadvantage of this variety is that it is susceptible to disease, especially coffee leaf rust. Its sweetness is similar to Bourbon, balanced and slightly citrusy.

Processing:

After selective hand-picking, whole ripe cherries are density-sorted and dried as a natural for roughly twenty-two days on raised beds, with regular turning and moisture monitoring.

Thanks for 124 guesses this month! Congratulations to noonamer for winning October round with the score of 20 points. Followed by TDX with 17.65 points and sebo_m with 16.9 points.

TOP3 of October round:
1. noonamer - 20 points
2. cumcon - 19.55 points
3. TDX - 17.65 points

We also have a new game for 2025 season - the Coffee Guesser. Our members need to select the exact location of Mystery Coffee farm on the map. Whoever is the closest, is winning a free Mystery Coffee bag in the following month! Our October winner is TDX with the impressive score of 26km!

TOP3 of 2025 Season:
1. sebo_m - 162.6 points
2. R - 158 points
3. Jarg89 - 156 points

Roaster's line-up for the next few months:
NOVEMBER 25 - Ordinary from Frankfurt, Germany
DECEMBER 25 - KB from Paris, France

Thanks for the pics Herman!