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Cherrybook.
Coffee Balam

Alfaro Master Roast

Costa Rica Caturra & Catuai Blend

NaturalDarkSCA cup 83.0

Cherrybook Index

26preliminary

Evidence-of-quality score, not a cup score. Preliminary: 2 of 7 signals on file. Methodology

Price position

$1.54/oz$16.99 for 312g

Typical band for this profile $1.32 to $2.12 (natural blend lots (other named varieties, retail bags); USD listings in stock). Where it sits

Catalog summary

A natural lot from Costa Rica, not yet indexed (2 of 7 signals on file) and priced inside the typical band for its listed profile.

Based on the listing and catalog evidence

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Price and availability set by the roaster.

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Cherrybook last checked this listing 6 days ago.

Roaster’s notes

chocolate · butter · nuts · cream · honey

  • Cocoa and nut
  • Sugar and spice
Open the flavor wheel

Mapped from the roaster’s tasting notes to the SCA flavor wheel; Cherrybook’s interpretation of the stated notes, not the roaster’s own categorization.

Alfaro Master Roast by Coffee Balam
Producer
Minor Alfaro
Farm / Co-op
—
Process
Natural
Altitude
1200–1400 m
Varietals
Caturra,Catuai
Harvest
—
Weight
312g
Bag price
$16.99
Price / oz
$1.54/oz
Brew
drip, french_press, espresso

from the roaster’s storeread by Cherrybook from the listing“estimated” below = inferred, not stated

Price contextmodeled

A modeled range and current prices for comparable listings.

$1.54/oz

typically $1.32 to $2.12

Where it sits

15 natural blend lots (other named varieties, retail bags); USD listings in stock

typical band this lot

Broad comparison: 33rd percentile of 15 natural blend lots (other named varieties, retail bags); USD listings in stock right now.

This group broadens origin, roast or selling market to find enough lots. It does not qualify this coffee for a value recommendation.

What moves this price

cheaper×1.00pricier
  • Roaster brand and sourcing×0.84
  • Dark roast×0.96
  • Blend×0.96
  • Other listed varieties×0.96
How this estimate works

A statistical model, refit weekly across the in-stock catalog, estimates what a coffee with these listed attributes typically sells for per ounce. Each multiplier compares one trait against the average lot in this market; the roaster line covers brand and sourcing together, which this model cannot separate. Bag size is shown separately, priced at the rate observed across sizes of the same coffee, because it says nothing about the coffee itself. The distribution counts every in-stock listing in the comparison group, with at least 15 listings from three roasters and no roaster supplying more than 60% of it. Decaf, blends, variety segments, processing families and bag formats stay separate. Origin, roast and selling currency can broaden as the group label indicates. Prices are converted to USD per ounce; shipping and differences in tax treatment are not adjusted. The model reads listed attributes only: the quality of the specific lot in the bag is not observable, so a price above the typical band is not evidence of overpricing.

Cherrybook Index (CBI)

Evidence-of-quality score, not a cup score. Methodology

26

Preliminary

Confidence2 of 7 signals on file

Score is partially shrunk toward a neutral 50; read directionally until more source families land.

How confidence affects the score

Coverage measures signal availability, not cup quality. This coffee has 30% of the signal universe on file. Missing sources are dropped, remaining weights are renormalized, and the result is shrunk toward a neutral 50 baseline by 25% so one thin signal cannot carry the score on its own.

The math on file: renormalized base 24.2 shrunk to 30.6 + bonuses = 26.

Missing: Coffee Review, Reddit sentiment, YouTube reviews, On-shop ratings, Cherrybook ratings

  • Roaster transparency
    Producer / farm / lot disclosure depth
    70/ 17% weight
  • SCA grade
    Roaster-published cupping score
    15/ 83% weight

Bonuses applied

  • Stale-stock demotion
    This lot has been listed in stock for an extended time; specialty coffee freshness degrades over weeks
    +-5

Sensory profile

Acidity
3
Body
4

Comps & alternatives

Tasting flight

Compare this with three more lots selected from the catalog.

Brew a set side-by-side. The picks vary along axes that pair with this lot; origin, process, roast, or producer; so you learn the difference, not just drink four good cups.

Build the flight

Reference · About the varietal & origin

About Coffee Balam

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