Cloza Farm Pacamara “Don Clodoveo"

Step into the roastery for a moment. This coffee isn’t just another beautiful bean on the cupping table. It’s a connection, a memory, a moment that lingers like a good finish on the palate.

Cloza Estate sits in Costa Rica’s Alajuela region, a fourth generation family farm and micromill that’s been running strong since the 1970s. It’s led today by Kathia Zamora, who took the reins from her parents, Clodoveo and Jeannette, and continues their legacy with heart and precision.

In 2019, I was lucky enough to travel there myself. I walked the rows of flowering shrubs, drank coffee on their porch, and experienced their hospitality firsthand. It was one of those rare and grounding experiences that remind you exactly why we do what we do. We weren’t just talking shop. We were talking soil, weather, patience, pride. We were talking family.

This particular lot, Don Clodoveo, is named in tribute to Kathia’s father, and it shows up in the cup with all the care, complexity, and honor you’d expect from something made with that kind of intention.

What’s in the Bean

This is 100 percent Pacamara, that Salvadoran hybrid that’s earned a reputation for being bold, expressive, and massive (seriously, these beans are huge). It’s been naturally processed right on the farm, dried with the full cherry intact to bring out big fruit and floral complexity. The combination of altitude around 1,350 MASL, volcanic soils, and careful processing produces a cup that’s both juicy and structured.

In the Cup

Let’s talk flavor. The first thing that hits you is fruit. Raspberry, blueberry, maybe even some cherry candy if you catch it right. There’s a soft perfume note, floral and almost tea like, and then this quiet little whisper of nutmeg or baking spice at the end that keeps you coming back.

It’s clean. It’s expressive. It’s layered. A cup you want to pay attention to.

We roast this one to a gentle medium, just enough to let the natural sugars bloom and keep the fruit alive. It’s ideal for pour over or immersion brews where you can really stretch it out and let it breathe.

Why It Matters

At Big Shoulders, we believe every great coffee should tell a story. Not just a flavor story, but a human one. This Pacamara from Cloza Farm does exactly that. It’s got all the technical merits: altitude, varietal, processing, but what sets it apart is the spirit behind it.

Kathia and her family aren’t just producers. They’re stewards of land and legacy. That spirit of generosity I felt when I visited in 2019 is baked into every aspect of this coffee.

So when you brew it, take a moment. Picture the warm rolling hills of Alajuela, the rows of flowering shrubs, and a porch where coffee is shared not just for taste, but for connection.  

This is coffee as it was meant to be. Expressive. Generous. Unforgettable.