“Cascara” is the Spanish word for “husk” or “shell,” and is used to describe the skin of the coffee cherry that has been removed during the de-pulping process. It has become popular as a dried fruit used to brew a tea-like infusion. Initially, this use was developed in an effort to reduce waste and find another use for the discarded coffee cherries beyond composting (which is the most common solution).
Our cascara comes from the Helsar de Zarcero Micromill in Costa Rica and was actually developed and grown specifically for the purpose of brewing “coffee cherry tea,” with the coffee seeds actually becoming the byproduct! They’ve been working with the University of Costa Rica since 2012 to develop and perfect the process of growing and preparing food-grade cascara. After being harvested, the cherries are transported on the same day to a facility to be specially processed: The seeds in their mucilage are whisked away, but the removed pulp is washed, pasteurized, and dehydrated in a sterile environment to keep it free of pathogens and debris.
Whether you’re a coffee lover looking for something unique and new, or a long-time tea lover, we think you’ll find our cascara to be a treat!
Note: The cascara comes loose, not in filter bags. We brew ours in a french press (because, you know…coffee people over here 🙋🏼♂️🙋🏻♀️), but any method for brewing loose leaf tea will do. Here’s how we do ours:
Immerse 9 grams of cascara in 12 ounces of almost-boiling water. Steep 6 minutes. Strain & enjoy.