Hacienda Alsacia: Inside Starbuck’s Costa Rica Coffee Farm
Hacienda Alsacia is Starbucks’ only company-owned coffee farm and offers a relaxing, educational experience for coffee lovers. Located in the hills north of San José, the farm serves not only as a working coffee plantation but also as a research center focused on sustainability and innovation.
Whether you come for the full tour or just stop by to visit its amazing open air cafe with sweeping views of Costa Rica’s countryside, we don’t think you will be disappointed!
How It All Started
In 2013, Starbucks bought Hacienda Alsacia to be a global testing ground for R&D that lets the company try out cutting-edge farming techniques and new coffee varieties.
Hacienda Alsacia also works closely with local farmers and coffee experts who have spent their whole lives growing coffee in Costa Rica. By working with the latest science with the expertise of local farmers, Starbucks can try innovative things while being good stewards of the locals and their land.
Costa Rica was picked because of it’s perfect weather, rich volcanic soil, and over a century of producing some of the world’s best coffee.
The Tour at Hacienda Alsacia
The Hacienda Alsacia tour is a coffee experience that takes visitors through the full journey of how coffee gets from plant to cup. You will get to walk through the coffee fields, get insight on all the different types of coffee, and learn how elevation and climate are critical factors in coffee production.
You’ll learn where coffee cherries come from, how they get picked, processed, washed, and dried before they’re roasted. The tour lasts about 90 minutes and wraps up with a coffee tasting session, where you can try out different brews and find out how the processing methods and roast levels create the final taste.
An Amazing Starbucks Cafe
The café at Hacienda Alsacia serves coffee grown directly on the farm, so this will likely be the freshest cup of Starbucks coffee you will ever find! The beautiful open-air café overlooks the coffee fields and surrounding hills, offering the perfect setting to drink a cup of coffee and enjoy a bite to eat.
Unlike a traditional Starbucks location, the menu focuses on single-origin coffee, pour-overs, and specialty brewing methods. Some of the pastry and other food options are also unique to this location.
Even without taking the tour, the café alone is worth a visit!
Plan Your Visit
Hacienda Alsacia is best visited as a half-day trip from San José. Most visitors spend between two and three hours exploring the farm and café. Tours should be booked in advance, especially during peak travel seasons. Also, bring a light rain jacket since weather in Costa Rica can change quickly!
Location
Hacienda Alsacia is located in Alajuela Province, about 45 minutes north of San José. Many travelers combine a visit to Hacienda Alsacia with nearby attractions like Poás Volcano or other coffee farms in the Central Valley. If you’re like us, it proved to be a fantastic stop on the way to La Paz Waterfall before heading to La Fortuna.
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