Man in a hat and plaid shirt standing among coffee plants on a misty mountain landscape

Read Their Story

Juanachute Beneficio

The name sounds like a riddle: Juanachute. But Luis Anastasio Castro—everyone calls him Don Tacho—will tell you it's simple. He combined the names of his great-great-grandparents, Juana and Chute, to honor the family roots that made everything possible. That kind of thinking—respecting tradition while pushing forward—defines everything Tacho does. And what he's done is nothing short of revolutionary.

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The Micro Mill Revolution

In the early 2000s, most Costa Rican coffee farmers had one option: harvest their cherries and sell them to large commercial mills. You had no control over processing. No say in how your coffee was handled. No direct connection to the final product. Don Tacho looked at that system and thought: What if we didn't do it that way? He built one of Costa Rica's first micromills—a small-scale processing facility where a single family could control the entire journey from cherry to export. The Juanachute Micromill became the model that dozens of other producers would eventually follow. People now call it the "Micro Mill Revolution." Don Tacho was there at the beginning.

Exceptional Honey-Processed Coffees

Juanachute is also known for exceptional honey-processed coffees. After de-pulping, beans with varying amounts of sticky mucilage are dried on raised beds. The sugars in that mucilage slowly absorb into the bean over 14-21 days of sun drying. Red honey, yellow honey, white honey—each refers to how much mucilage is left on. More mucilage = more sweetness and body in the final cup. Tacho's honey-processed lots are textbook examples: balanced, sweet, and incredibly smooth.

The Terroir of Tarrazú

Juanachute sits in the heart of Tarrazú, locally called "Zona de Los Santos" because nearly every town has San or Santa in its name (San Pablo, Santa María, San Marcos). This is one of the most densely planted high-altitude coffee regions in Central America. Many farms sit at or above 2,000 meters. The combination of factors creates ideal conditions:

Ideal Growing Conditions

  • Volcanic Soil: Fertile, well-draining, mineral-rich
  • Altitude: 1,700-1,900 masl for Juanachute's plots means cooler temps and slower cherry development
  • Climate: Two distinct seasons—rainy (May-November) and dry (December-April)—encourage uniform flowering
  • Precipitation: About 2,400mm annually
  • Temperature: Average 19°C year-round

Community & Tradition

The rolling mountainsides of Tarrazú are dotted with small family farms growing coffee alongside bananas, avocados, and citrus. Properties pass between generations. The spirit of community is strong. Producers protect natural water sources and maintain patches of primary forest and shade trees. Don Tacho is part of that tradition—but he's also pushing it forward.