When Stacey and I decided to go to Costa Rica, I knew that a Costa Rica Coffee Tour had to be on our list! That’s when I found Britt Coffee Tour located just outside of San Jose. Britt Coffee Tour stood out to me for because of the different options of tours they offer, their location and their amazing reviews. Being an avid coffee drinker, and having toured other coffee plantations/roasters in Bali, Laos + Hawaii, I had high expectations and Britt Coffee Tour more than met them. They have a very unique tour and I highly recommend it, and here’s why…
COSTA RICA COFFEE TOUR – ABOUT THE BRITT COFFEE TOUR
We took the Classic Coffee Tour. Our wonderful guides started our Costa Rica coffee tour with, of course, the history of coffee in Costa Rica! Our guides, Luis + Tino, were exceptionally entertaining, very knowledgable and just so much fun. In addition to these explanations we got to sample some coffee. In fact, we got to do this all along the way from different stations with different roasts!
After learning about how Coffee Came from Ethiopia all the way to Costa Rica, Tino and Luis taught us about Costa Rica’s coffee regions and the history of coffee within the country.
The next stop on our Costa Rica coffee tour was their coffee plant nursery. Our guides showed us how their coffee plants start from a seed to a tiny plant and all the way to a one-year plant ready to be planted in the plantations. They explained this process in their quirky, fun way. Trust me, you’ll be entertained through this coffee tour.
After learning about the plants and the planting process, we walked through a sample plot filled with all different varieties of coffee plants. This path led us to a counter where Tino and Luis taught us about the next step of coffee production on our Costa Rica Coffee Tour.
They explained about how coffee plants bloom, with a beautiful flower that smells like jasmine. Then, the blooms die after only one day, to make way for the berry. Then when the berry is red and ripe, it’s time to pick! They picked up this basket and explained that this is what pickers put the ripe berries into. They pick until these baskets are full and then place them into a bag that they carry with them.
Tino +Luis asked for a volunteer to outfit like a coffee-picker and I volunteered. They tied the basket around my waist, put a typical hat on me and covered my neck with a bandana. P.s. it’s always a good idea to volunteer or answer questions on a Britt Coffee Tour because they give away chocolates!
The next step of our tour was through different varieties of coffee! Although they were all arabica beans, there have been many hybrids created especially for growing coffee in Costa Rica.
Then, they explained how the bean was harvested + dried. They also told us about how they use every part of the coffee berry/bean. I love supporting brands that focus on sustainability and their focus on it was very apparent. They make a fuel from the berry pulp and paper from the shell around the beans.
Last stops on this Costa Rica Coffee Tour were the roasting room, where Luis showed us how coffee is roasted and how removing that coffee at different stages creates the different roasts and flavors. After that, we learned how the brilliant minds behind these roasts sample and come up with different blends. Stacey volunteered for the cupping experience! (Don’t worry, everyone gets to drink coffee all through the tour at the different stops.)
BRITT SHOP (HERE AND OTHER PLACES)
After the tour is completed, you end up in their gift shop which is filled with all the different blends + roasts of coffee. However, that’s not all! There’s also chocolate, which is sinfully delicious, tees and other Costa Rica souvenirs. However, we stuck with purchasing coffee and chocolates to take home to remind us of this amazing tour. My personal favorite is the Tres Rios.
CAFE + RESTAURANT
Outside of the shop, you’ll find a darling little cafe where you can grab a small pastry, sandwich or pizza or, better yet, a delicious coffee made with Cafe Britt coffee! I selected the delicious + sweet treat called Arenal (named for one of the beautiful volcanoes in the country). This drink includes espresso, vanilla ice cream, chocolate and caramel. It was super tasty and a great jolt of energy to keep me going through the rest of the day.
We also stuck around for some lunch, which was buffet style and included some local favorites. The meal is included with the 11:00 tour and is included in your ticket price. It works out to be about $14 for the lunch and it is completely worth it. This includes a soup, a salad, delicious local favs like chicken, beef, rice + beans, veggies and yams. Plus, drinks (juice + water) and a dessert are there too. We greatly enjoyed this meal and it was very convenient to have right after a tour.
SMALL PETTING ZOO + MORE
At Britt Coffee Tour you’ll also find a small petting zoo. They have a couple of goats and a couple sheep. This is a really great addition for parents so the kiddos can have a fun, memorable experience as well. These sweet little guys looked well fed and had a good amount of shade and space.
In addition to the petting zoo, there are traditional puppet statues and a small botanical garden. The grounds are simply stunning!
Would I Recommend the Britt Coffee Tour?
10/10, yes. I loved this tour. It was very informative, beautiful and exceptionally entertaining. It’s unlike any other coffee tour I’ve ever been on and so very worth it. Britt is the first company to do coffee tours, and they definitely set a standard! Even if you’re not a major coffee lover, you’ll still be entertained and learn a little something. Because Britt also makes coffee, they’ll not be disappointed in the chocolate samples you can find in the coffee store.
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*Although we were guests of Britt Coffee Tour all opinions, as always, are my own.
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