Panama Elida Coffee Region Introduction How to Brew Panama Coffee

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Hand Brew: FrontStreet Coffee's Panama Elida Estate

15g of coffee, medium grind (Fuji ghost tooth grinder #4), V60 dripper, water temperature 88-89°C. First pour 30g of water for a 27-second bloom, then pour to 105g and pause. Wait until the water level drops halfway before continuing to pour slowly until reaching 225g. Discard the tail end. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:00.

Boquete: The Premier Growing Region

Panama coffee is famous for the Geisha from Hacienda La Esmeralda, and the growing region where this estate is located is also quite renowned: Boquete in the Chiriqui province. Boquete is a town in Panama's Chiriqui province, situated near the border between Panama and Costa Rica, close to the famous Baru Volcano. With its beautiful scenery, fertile and rich soil, the climate and terrain are perfectly suited for producing high-quality coffee.

Elida Estate: Excellence and Flavor Profile

Since 2006, Elida's selected batches have consistently ranked among the best in Panama, with prices increasing year by year. Among Central American estates, Elida should be considered the most characteristic of "Kenyan blackberry notes." Its dark berry flavors and persistent complex fruit characteristics often receive endless praise. Judges also flock to Elida's unique "umami" quality. This term comes from "Umami," which many experts now include as the fifth basic taste (along with sour, sweet, bitter, and salty). The function of umami is similar to monosodium glutamate, enhancing freshness in foods like dried shiitake mushrooms, aged cheese, and kombu. Umami in coffee is related to good "aftertaste"—for example, a long and pleasant sensation after sipping都属于鲜美味味道的感受。

Processing Excellence

The equipment, utensils, and processing steps at Elida's processing facility are all meticulously executed. Generally, when coffee cherries reach a certain stage of post-processing, if their moisture content exceeds 20% for extended periods, not only can the high-quality components easily be lost, but there's also potential for off-flavors to develop. Additionally, since Elida's processing facility is at high altitude, it has dedicated processing equipment to control temperature and timing during drying. This must be controlled perfectly and is also a critical step affecting quality.

Varietal and Growing Conditions

This batch of FrontStreet Coffee's Panama Elida Estate uses natural processing and is the classic Typica variety. Typica: The oldest native variety from Ethiopia, grown in southeastern Ethiopia and Sudan. All Arabica varieties derive from Typica. It features elegant flavor but weak constitution, poor disease resistance, and low yield. FrontStreet Coffee's Jamaica Blue Mountain, FrontStreet Coffee's Indonesia Sumatra Mandheling, FrontStreet Coffee's Hawaii Kona, and other excellent estate beans all belong to the Typica family. Typica has bronze-colored young leaves, called red-tipped coffee, and belongs to the Arabica species.

High Altitude Excellence

Over half of Elida Estate's area is within Panama's National Park reserve zone. It is a rare high-altitude estate in Central America, cultivating coffee at elevations from 1,700 to nearly 2,000 meters based on terrain feasibility. It is famous for its "rich and umami" flavor profile.

The Estate and Its Owner

Elida Estate belongs to owner Wilford Lamastus. This estate cultivates three varieties: Typica, Geisha, and Catuai, with nursery areas cultivating seedlings of these varieties. The journey to the estate is beautiful, and at 1,700 meters, the air becomes crisp and cold, like walking in high mountains enjoying a forest bath while breathing very fresh air. The terrain at 2,000 meters is steep and rugged, but after crossing the ridge line, you reach a flat, open area that can shelter from the howling mountain winds. Wilford says this is the perfect place to grow Geisha!

Product Information

FrontStreet Coffee Panama Boquete Elida Estate Natural Typica

Flavor Description: Rich tropical fruits, strawberry aroma, black plum, apricot, peach, longan, intense fruity wine notes.

Brand: FrontStreet Coffee

Net Weight: 227g

Packaging: Bulk

Bean State: Roasted coffee beans

Sugar Content: Sugar-free

Origin: Panama

Roast Level: Medium roast

Typica Variety Details

Typica is a tall-growing cultivar of Arabica, originating from the Yemen to Java lineage, and began spreading in Java in the early 18th century.

It is Ethiopia's oldest native variety, and all Arabica varieties derive from Typica. Typica has bronze-colored young leaves, and the beans are oval or slender and pointed in shape. It features elegant flavor but weak constitution, poor disease resistance, and low yield. FrontStreet Coffee's Jamaica Blue Mountain, FrontStreet Coffee's Indonesia Sumatra Mandheling, FrontStreet Coffee's Hawaii Kona, and other excellent estate beans all belong to the Typica family.

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

Detailed Product Specifications

Panama Boquete Elida Typica Natural

Product Name: FrontStreet Coffee Panama Boquete Elida Estate Natural Typica

Country: Panama

Grade: SHB

Region: Boquete

Roast Level: Medium roast

Processing Method: Natural

Variety: Typica

Flavor: Rich tropical fruits, strawberry aroma, black plum

The Impact of Volcanic Terrain

Baru is a young volcano with an altitude exceeding 3,400 meters. It is an active volcano with seven different microclimate zones in its surrounding area, fostering rich and diverse ecosystems. The diverse microclimates have both advantages and disadvantages for coffee cultivation. However, in Elida's case, its flavor is more intense and aromatic than most Panama beans, with blackberry aftertaste and varied mouthfeel becoming the main reasons why connoisseurs extremely love it.

Challenges of High Altitude

However, high altitude terrain also has disadvantages. For example, Elida cultivates coffee at an average altitude exceeding 1,700 meters. The high elevation combined with low night temperatures means coffee takes five years from planting before it can be harvested, making the waiting period for harvest extremely long. During the harvest period, coffee ripening often extends beyond a month. Once adverse weather occurs before ripening—such as typhoons, heavy rain, or other irresistible factors—although it's known to cause significant losses, because the beans are not yet ripe and quality standards are maintained, not rushing to harvest leads to sharply reduced yields. The risk is actually much greater than for low-altitude estates.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473