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Hacienda Colima - Alejo Castro

Costa Rica - Hacienda Colima - Alejo Castro - San Isidro - Red honey

CROP 2025/2026 See coffee details

Available on contract (46kg)

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History and traceability

The story

Who he is: Fifth-generation producer from the Castro-Kahle family, who has been growing coffee on the slopes of the Poás Volcano in Costa Rica's Central Valley for more than 100 years. Alejo approaches coffee like an alchemist — each year innovating, combining, and refining his lots across a remarkable range of varieties and processes, always with the goal of naturally developing the strengths of each coffee.

Brief history: The Castro-Kahle story begins in the mid-19th century, when two pioneering European families — the Spanish Castro-Jiménez family in Costa Rica and the German Kahle family in Mexico — established themselves in coffee. Over 200 years later, Alejo represents the fifth generation of that tradition. The family cultivates Caturra, Catuai, Geisha, SL28, Villasarchi, Sarchimor, Obata, San Isidro, and Venecia across volcanic soils enriched by eruptions of the Poás Volcano. Coffee is not a specialty for the Castro-Kahle clan — it is a tradition, a way of life, and a responsibility toward the land and those who came before.

What makes him singular:

A producer who combines generational depth with genuine innovation: more than 50% of Volcán Azul's production uses unique processing methods, and he exports 27 different coffee varieties.
Exceptional environmental commitment: 200 hectares of forest conserved above the coffee fields, and 1,500 hectares of primary forest purchased in the Osa Peninsula — all to preserve biodiversity that, according to Alejo, is what gives the coffee its flavor.
The soils of the Poás Volcano slopes are uniquely fertile, enriched by volcanic dust after each eruption — a terroir that is impossible to replicate.

Relationship with Belco: We have been working with Alejo for several years, consistently selecting his lots each harvest.

Shared values with Belco:

Long-term vision: over 200 years of family tradition, matched with a forward-looking approach to quality and innovation.
Environmental stewardship as a genuine commitment — not certification for its own sake, but a deep belief that biodiversity is what makes great coffee possible.
Excellence through precision: Alejo's approach to processing is deliberate and craft-driven, always seeking the best expression of each variety.

Coffee production began in America in the mid-19th-century. It was at that same time that two pioneering families originally from Europe set up a coffee business, the Spanish Castro-Jimenez family in Costa Rica and the German Kahle family in the Chiapas region of Mexico. Alejo belongs to the fifth generation of the Castro-Kahle family, which has been growing coffee on the slopes of the Poas Volcano in central Costa Rica for more than 100 years. Coffee is not a specialty for the Castro-Kahle clan, but a tradition. They cultivate Caturra, Catuai, Geisha, SL28, Villasarchi, Sarchimor, Obata, San Isidro and Venecia. The family has chosen to conserve some 200 hectares of forest located above their coffee fields in order to preserve the local biodiversity. They have also bought 1,500 hectares of primary forest in the Osa Peninsula in the south of the country. Fauna and flora are sacrosanct in Costa Rica, and according to Alejo it must be what gives the coffee so much flavour. The soils on the slopes of the Poas Volcano are enriched with the volcanic dust that falls after each eruption. Alejo has a real passion for the different coffee varieties and processes, and each year tries his hand at innovating, combining, concocting and refining his coffees just like an alchemist.

Finca Colima is a farm located at the edges of the Brava Volcano. New coffee trees are planted in a very fertile volcanic soil at an altitude of more than 1,200 metres. The soil benefits from a good organic matter and texture that produces a well-balanced coffee with quite a chocolatey profile. The coffee is shade-grown and harvested from November to March.

Why we selected it:

A solid, well-balanced red honey where the process enhances the natural sweetness and nuttiness of San Isidro without overpowering it.
Brown sugar, walnut, peanuts, dried fruit, and citrus — a grounded and approachable cup with genuine complexity.

Recommendation for roasters: Ideal for roasters looking for a reliable, well-crafted red honey with a classic profile. The San Isidro variety gives it structure and a pleasant nuttiness, while the red honey adds sweetness and depth. Works well as filter and as an accessible specialty espresso.

Q-Grader tasting notes:

What I loved: The groundedness — brown sugar, walnut, peanuts, dried fruit, and citrus, all balanced and clean.
Must-try because: San Isidro in red honey, done by a producer who has mastered the process — consistent, sweet, and very drinkable.
What makes it special: San Isidro variety + red honey + Alejo's deliberate, craft-driven approach to processing = a cup that delivers exactly what it promises.