5:00 am to Pura Vida
I really hate 5:00 am. Or, maybe I’m afraid of it. Or rather still, when I think about the 5:00 am hour a little too long, I get emotional.
Most mornings are the same. I wake up and wander to the espresso machine ready to embrace the uniqueness of the day. It’s been warming up for 30 minutes or so now. Waiting patiently. Good friends do that. On October 24th, 2023 I woke up in the five o’clock hour and wandered to the espresso machine. Then I got the call.
Dad was receiving CPR. Shaken, I waited around nervously. Another call roughly 15 minutes later and I learned he didn’t make it. Nothing we do prepares us to receive the call. And since then, I have a bitterness toward that time of day. So I do what I can to avoid it. And then came Costa Rica.
This was the second time visiting the country. The first started in San José, the nations capital, and wove through Arenal, Monteverde, the southwestern peninsula and virtually every nook our tiny rental car would take us. Very slowly I might add. Pura Vida they’d say.
You see, this simple gesture or way of living is about slowing down to enjoy lifes pleasures. How melodramatic and perfect I thought. One can feel it when you’re surrounded by kind locals and one of the most biodiverse countries on the planet. And, one can also taste it in its coffee culture. Which by the way, aside from time spent with loved ones, was one of the main purposes of this second trip. Try coffees from as many places as possible in preparation for launching our first Costa Rican coffee.
Despite continued early wake ups (either via our alarm clocks or the birds — don’t get me started on the birds) to get to our daily destinations, I was consistently reminded about one of our core principles; slowing down is so important. How will you ever figure out if the life you envision for yourself is real if you don’t take a moment to make a plan to get there?
From the slower preparation of every coffee to the near daily spotting of old Land Rovers, nearly every area of Costa Rica is enveloped in a shared sense of slowing time. Our coffee tour in the Monteverde Cloud Forest imparted so much appreciation and respect for those who take their time. Scaling mud, rock and the angled cliffs of Costa Rica’s famed and celebrated terroir, they maneuver about dense foliage in triple digit heat to earn a job well done. This country understands that coffee is not a finite resource, and respects its land and product. So much so that many coffee farms in Costa Rica will pay their workers higher wages than what is normally seen in the industry. This means the cost of green coffee is often much higher than from countries who do not pay those wages.
This is a cost I am always willing to accept.
The path through Costa Rica is uneven, steep, and more often than not, unpaved. A metaphor for life, yes. Sometimes traveling just a few miles can take over an hour. It’s best to start early. A frog or turtle may literally be crossing the road, you may have to avoid countless potholes, avoid a fucking python (not kidding), or simply stop to take in the scenery and snap some memories with those who are on your path with you.
However, continue on your path and there will be a time in your life when those closest to you will move on. In one way or the next. And, this is one of the reasons why it is important to slow down to figure out where you are, where you want your life to be, and to make the plan to see if its real.
I often find those moments continue to be over a cup of coffee. Sometimes solo, sometimes a group of seven. Insightful always, they provide small nuggets of time to recenter and prepare us for the days events. Even when the yet to be uncovered event is heavier than normal.
About a week into the trip, my concept of time started to shift. No longer inundated with e-mails or those taking orders on my life, I could feel my mind and body relax. The early wake ups became easier to handle as every day became an opportunity to move closer to the life I want.
And now back home in Seattle I write. A reflection of a time and way of life that I can’t help but adore. An appreciation for the work of those who supply us with caffeinated motivation and hope for the future. The work I am proud to offer with our first Costa Rican coffee release. And of course, an acceptance of time and distance, an understanding of the non linear paths our lives take, and the necessity of finding joy in those simple moments no matter what life has in store for us.
I really hated 5:00 am. But, I am no longer afraid of it. When I think about the 5:00 am hour long enough, I can hear my Dad still. Even though someone close to me has now moved on, it doesn’t mean they aren’t with us. I love that.
Cheers to you and your path. Pura Vida.
This micro lot comes to us from Santa Cruz, CR and is the first coffee we have featured using honey process. This means the green coffee was dried with some of the fruit mucilage in tact, giving the bean an incredible flavor profile. It’s absolutely stellar as a single origin espresso with a full body and hints of cocoa, hazelnut, and baked fruits. I’ve roasted this one a little past medium and I believe it shines perfectly.
This was the second time we have visited Costa Rica, and I am thrilled to bring you an opportunity to experience this coffee. I have roughly 18 or so pounds of it to offer and once it’s gone, it’s gone.
Cheers and happy brewing.
-Jacob
Size: 12oz
Grind: Whole bean