Panama Elida Coffee Brands and Panama Coffee Brewing Steps

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Elida Estate Excellence

Since 2006, Elida's精选 batches have consistently ranked among Panama's finest winning batches year after year, with prices becoming increasingly premium. Among Central American estates, Elida should be considered as having the most prominent "Kenyan blackberry notes." Its rich blackberry and persistent complex fruit flavors often leave people full of praise. What also draws judges to Elida is its unique "savory flavor," a term derived from "Umami." Currently, many experts include "umami" as one of the five basic tastes (sweet, sour, bitter, salty, umami). The effect of umami is similar to monosodium glutamate; foods that enhance freshness or are used to make stocks, such as dried shiitake mushrooms, aged cheese, and kelp, all reveal the presence of umami. Umami in coffee is related to good "aftertaste" - for example, a long and pleasant aftertaste after sipping are all considered part of the savory flavor experience.

Processing Excellence

The equipment and processing steps at Elida's processing facility are meticulously crafted. Generally speaking, when coffee cherries reach a certain stage in post-processing and their moisture content exceeds twenty percent for an extended period, not only do the high-quality components within the coffee cherries easily dissipate, but there's also the possibility of developing off-flavors. Additionally, since Elida's processing facility remains at high altitude, it has specialized processing equipment to control temperature and timing during drying. This must be controlled perfectly and represents a critical step affecting quality.

Processing Method and Variety

This batch uses the natural processing method, with the classic Typica variety. Typica: The oldest native variety from Ethiopia, grown in southeastern Ethiopia and Sudan. All Arabica varieties derive from Typica. The flavor is elegant, but the plant constitution is weak, disease resistance is poor, and fruit yield is low. Excellent estate beans such as Jamaica Blue Mountain, Sumatra Mandheling, and Hawaii Kona all belong to Typica. Typica's top leaves are bronze-colored, earning it the name "red-topped coffee." Typica belongs to the Arabica species.

Elida Estate Location

More than half of Elida Estate lies within the Panama National Park's reserve area. It is a rare ultra-high-altitude estate in Central America, growing coffee at altitudes from 1,700 meters to nearly 2,000 meters where terrain permits. It is famous for its main flavor profile of "richness and umami."

Estate Details

Elida Estate belongs to owner Wilford Lamastus. This estate grows three varieties: Typica, Geisha, and Catuai, with nurseries cultivating seedlings of these varieties. The journey to the estate is beautiful, and at 1,700 meters, the air becomes crisp, like walking through high mountains enjoying a forest bath and breathing very fresh air. The estate's terrain at 2,000 meters is steep, but after crossing the ridge line and reaching the saddle, it becomes flat, open ground with terrain that can shelter from howling mountain winds. Wilford says this is the most suitable place for growing Geisha!

Flavor Profile

Flavor description: Rich tropical fruits, strawberry notes, black plums, apricots, peaches, longan, and intense fruity wine aromas.

Product Information

Brand: FrontStreet Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee)
Net weight: 227g
Packaging: Bulk
Coffee bean state: Roasted coffee beans
Sugar content: Sugar-free
Origin: Panama
Roast level: Medium roast

Typica Variety Details

Typica is a tall-growing variety of Arabica, originating from the Yemen to Java branch, which began spreading in Java in the early 18th century.

It is Ethiopia's oldest native variety, and all Arabica varieties derive from Typica. Typica's top leaves are bronze-colored, and the beans are oval or slender and pointed in shape. The flavor is elegant, but the plant constitution is weak, disease resistance is poor, and fruit yield is low. Excellent estate beans such as Jamaica Blue Mountain, Sumatra Mandheling, and Hawaii Kona all belong to Typica.

Its plants are very similar to what we call Java today, with bronze-tipped young leaves, and both fruits and seeds are large. The yield is very low, and it is susceptible to all major pests and diseases.

Coffee Details

Panama Boquete Elida Typica Natural
Country: Panama
Grade: SHB
Region: Boquete
Roast level: Medium roast
Processing method: Natural
Variety: Typica
Flavor: Rich tropical fruits, strawberry notes, black plums

Volcanic Influence

Baru is a young volcano with an altitude exceeding 3,400 meters and is an active volcano. Surrounding it are seven different microclimate zones, nurturing rich and diverse ecosystems. The diverse microclimates have both advantages and disadvantages for coffee cultivation. However, for Elida, its flavor is more intense and aromatic than most Panama coffees, with blackberry aftertaste and varied textures becoming the main reasons why connoisseurs extremely love it.

High Altitude Challenges

However, high-altitude terrain also has disadvantages. For example, at Elida, the average altitude for coffee cultivation exceeds 1,700 meters. The high altitude combined with low nighttime temperatures means coffee takes five years to harvest after sowing, making the waiting period for harvest extremely long. During the harvest period, coffee ripening often exceeds one month. Once abnormal weather occurs before ripening, such as typhoons, heavy rain, or other irresistible factors, significant losses are inevitable. However, because the beans haven't ripened and under the insistence on quality, the refusal to harvest early leads to drastically reduced yields. The risks are actually much greater than for low-altitude estates.

Brewing Method

Panama pour-over: 15g coffee, medium grind (Fuji grinder setting 4), V60 dripper, water temperature 88-89°C. First pour 30g water, bloom for 27 seconds. Pour to 105g then stop. Wait until the water level drops halfway before continuing to pour. Slowly pour until reaching 225g. Avoid the tail section. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:00.

Boquete Region

Panama coffee is famous for Geisha from Hacienda La Esmeralda, and the region where Hacienda La Esmeralda is located is also quite famous: the Boquete region in Chiriqui Province. Boquete is a town in Chiriqui Province, located near the border between Panama and Costa Rica, close to the famous Baru Volcano. The scenery is beautiful, the soil is rich and fertile, and the climate and soil are highly suitable for producing high-quality coffee.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473