August 2025: Podium Platinum. Utopian Coffee

Country: Costa Rica
Varietals: Caturra and Catuai
Region: Tarrazú
Process: Low oxygen honey
Producer: San Diego Mill. Various smallholders
Elevation: 1200-1,750 MASL
Tasting notes: Apple cider doughnut, green grape, pecan pie

The coffee:

The San Diego Mill is the most modern mill in Costa Rica. Established in 1888, San Diego has been innovating for well over a century. Today San Diego specializes in coffees from the Tarrazú and Tres Rios regions. The mill takes pride in striving for ever increasing efficiency and quality standards. At the same time the mill has taken a leading role in working with producers to ensure good community relations and sustainable production.

The Anaerobic process begins with the harvest of handpicked mature coffee cherries. Selecting the cherries when they are at their ripest ensures a high sugar content, which helps feed the anaerobic process.

At the mill, the coffee is depulped and put in air-tight, stainless steel tanks with the mucilage left on. The absence of oxygen stimulates an anaerobic fermentation process. The process develops in a unique series of acids such as lactic and malic, which results in a very complex flavor. Once the coffee has been fermented sufficiently, it is dried to 11.5% moisture and rested to allow complex and exotic flavors to develop.

The roaster

Utopian was founded more than a decade ago by two cousins: one a craft coffee aficionado and the other, a backpacking vagabond who fell in love with coffee-producing countries, cultures, and people.

Today, that passion for both the craft of coffee and the care of people form the strong foundation of the company. What began as cultural intrigue has evolved into an intentional commitment to invest in and learn from coffee producers around the world, and Utopian Coffee is known for its unparalleled commitment to sustainably harvested coffee..

Utopian helps to elevate their farming partners as they strive to support their goals and dreams to create a sustainable supply chain that honors people and the environment.

This pedigree and commitment has led to Utopian being honored with 2 coffees in Coffee Review's top 30 coffees of 2024 and being named a Roaster of the Year finalist by Roast Magazine in 2025.

More broadly, Utopian's roasting team combined have achieved 5 Good Food Awards wins, roaster Nick Berardi was the 2022 U.S. Roaster Champion, and they've crafted a very rare 98 point coffee with Coffee Review.