Brew Costa Rica Don Cayito Typica Mejorado White Honey

By Verve Coffee Roasters: Order Coffee Online | Fresh Roasted ... | Published: 2026-10-20

Category: How-to Guides

Learn how to brew the Costa Rica Don Cayito Typica Mejorado White Honey, a Farmlevel Reserve coffee with delicate fruit notes. This guide covers the pour-over method to highlight its clarity and sweetness.

Quick answer

For the Costa Rica Don Cayito Typica Mejorado White Honey, use a pour-over method with a medium-fine grind, water just off the boil (around 200°F), and a 1:16 coffee-to-water ratio to preserve its delicate strawberry and blackberry notes.

Why pour-over suits this coffee

This Typica Mejorado variety from Tarrazú is grown at 1,850 meters, where slower cherry maturation builds clarity and composure. A pour-over method—like a Hario V60 or Chemex—lets you control the extraction to keep those layered fruit flavors light and polished rather than muddled.

If you prefer a fuller body, a French press will work, but expect it to mute the bright berry acidity. Stick with pour-over if you want the coffee's White Honey processing to shine.

Grind size and water temperature

A medium-fine grind (similar to table salt) is the sweet spot. Too fine, and the coffee will taste bitter; too coarse, and the cup will be weak and sour.

Use water between 195°F and 205°F (about 90°C to 96°C). Boiling water can scorch the delicate beans, while cooler water under-extracts the sweetness.

Step-by-step pour-over recipe

1. Boil and cool your water: Bring 350 grams of filtered water to a boil, then let it cool for 30 seconds. Target 200°F (93°C). If your kettle doesn't have a thermometer, wait a full minute after boiling.
2. Rinse the filter and warm the brewer: Place a paper filter in your pour-over dripper and pour hot water through it. Discard the rinse water. This removes paper taste and preheats the vessel.
3. Weigh and grind the beans: Weigh 22 grams of whole-bean Costa Rica Don Cayito Typica Mejorado White Honey. Grind to a medium-fine consistency (like table salt). Use a burr grinder for consistency—blade grinders create uneven particles.
4. Bloom the coffee: Add the ground coffee to the filter. Pour 44 grams of water (twice the coffee weight) in a circular motion, ensuring all grounds are wet. Wait 30 seconds. If you see no bubbling, the beans may be stale or the water is too cool.
5. Main pour in stages: Slowly pour the remaining water in three stages: first to 150 grams, then to 250 grams, and finally to 350 grams. Each pour should take about 10 seconds, with a 15-second pause between them. Pour gently to avoid disturbing the coffee bed too much, which can cause uneven extraction.
6. Let it drain and serve: Allow the water to drip through completely (total brew time should be 2:30 to 3:00). Remove the dripper, swirl the carafe, and pour into your cup. If the brew runs faster than 2:30, grind finer next time; if slower than 3:00, grind coarser.

Coffee used in this guide

Costa Rica Don Cayito Typica Mejorado White Honey Farmlevel Reserve: Red Honey processing preserves natural sweetness while maintaining structure, allowing Strawberry and Blackberry to feel layered rather than dense. This means the coffee needs a gentle brew to avoid over-extracting the fruit notes—stick with a medium-fine grind and a moderate water temperature.
Costa Rica Don Cayito Typica Mejorado White Honey Farmlevel Reserve