Illeta Estate Single-Origin Coffee Bean Processing Methods Flavor Description and Cultivation Varieties

Panama Coffee: The Rising Star of Central America

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Panama coffee has become the hottest origin in Central America over the past 5-6 years. The main reason is the Geisha variety cultivated by Hacienda La Esmeralda, operated by the Peterson family, which has driven coffee enthusiasts wild. Consequently, Geisha has been acclaimed as the world's finest coffee bean. For this reason, the Panama Cup of Excellence auction is held separately from the Central and South American cupping competitions and was the earliest auction country, held annually in mid-May. Panama coffee not only impresses with its Geisha variety but also continuously innovates in green bean processing methods. In addition to traditional washed processing, it employs honey processing, which is prevalent in neighboring Costa Rica. Furthermore, Panama also produces small quantities of naturally processed beans, gradually gaining prominence in Central America and attracting attention from coffee professionals worldwide.

Pour-over Brewing for Panama Eleta

Hand-poured Panama Eleta: 15g of coffee, medium grind (Fuji Royal 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, then continue pouring slowly until reaching 225g. Avoid the tail section. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:00.

Understanding Coffee Bean Grading Systems

Currently, coffee bean grading systems vary worldwide, with each coffee-producing country having its own grading standards and terminology. You might see labels such as "SHB," "AA+," "Supremo," "Extra-Fancy," "Peaberry" on coffee packaging. These are coffee bean grade names. Some commercially available roasted coffee beans may indicate the grade of single-origin coffee. Generally, more detailed coffee grade information typically indicates better quality. However, most regular coffees do not display this information.

Product Information

Manufacturer: FrontStreet Coffee
Address: No. 10, Bao'an Front Street, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
Contact: 020-38364473
Ingredients: In-house roasted
Shelf life: 30 days
Net weight: 227g
Packaging: Bulk
Flavor profile: Neutral
Bean state: Roasted coffee beans
Sugar content: Sugar-free
Origin: Panama
Coffee type: Other

Coffee Details

Panama MC Santa Clara Eleta SHB Washed

Country: Panama
Grade: SHB
Region: Santa Clara
Altitude: Average 1,600 meters
Processing method: Washed

Café de Eleta is located in a small area of the Santa Clara region, just one kilometer from the Costa Rican border, near La Amistad International Park, a major primary forest reserve that is part of the Central American ecological habitat. The Eleta estate began acquiring land in the 1970s, covering approximately 130 hectares. Initially, it focused on vegetable cultivation and livestock operations. In 1995, it began planting coffee and was named Café de Eleta S.A. The estate continued to expand its land area and now encompasses 420 hectares, making it one of Panama's large-scale coffee plantations and one of the most renowned Panama coffees. Due to abundant water resources, it has a private 530KW hydroelectric power plant that not only provides self-sufficient electricity but also sells excess power to Distribución de Electricidad Chiriquí S.A. for grid connection.

Variety: Caturra
Estate: Café de Eleta
Flavor notes: Creamy bread, apricot kernel sweetness, rounded acidity

Panama Coffee Heritage

Coffee was introduced to Panama in 1780 when Europeans brought the first Typica varieties. This mysterious and captivating beverage soon conquered the senses of Panamanians, who began widespread cultivation. Panama coffee is known for its smoothness, full-bodied yet light beans, and perfectly balanced acidity. Its high-quality coffee beans offer pure, distinctive flavors. Due to its widespread popularity, most of Panama's premium coffee beans are exported to France and Finland.

Panama's Major Coffee Regions

Boquete Region: This area produces abundant, high-quality coffee and is Panama's largest coffee-producing region with excellent quality.

Volcán Region: Coffee from this area is characterized by mild, balanced flavors and has gradually gained attention from international experts and coffee enthusiasts. It is expected to soon match the reputation of the Boquete region.

Santa Clara Region: Fertile coffee plantations are irrigated by clear water from the Chorerra waterfall, and proximity to the Panama Canal allows fresh, pure Panama coffee to be conveniently shipped worldwide.

Piedra de Candela Region: This area shows great potential for developing high-quality specialty coffee.

Tasting Profile and Characteristics

This batch of coffee offers the purest original flavors. The SHB washed coffee from Café de Eleta is harvested from high-altitude Catuai coffee beans, featuring intense fruity and floral aromas. Flavor characteristics include creamy bread, apricot kernel sweetness, cane sugar sweetness, rounded acidity, complex aroma, balanced sweet and sour notes, and pleasant mouthfeel.

About Caturra Variety

Caturra is a natural variant of the Arabica Bourbon variety, discovered in Brazil in 1937. Its plant is shorter and more compact than Bourbon. Due to its Bourbon heritage, it has relatively weak disease resistance but higher yields than Bourbon. Although discovered in Brazil, Caturra is not well-suited for growing there and thus was not extensively cultivated. Instead, it became widely popular in Central and South America, with large-scale cultivation in countries like Colombia, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua.

Compared to these botanical characteristics, most people are more concerned with Caturra's flavor profile. The higher the altitude where Caturra is grown, the better the quality, but correspondingly lower the yield. When lightly roasted, Caturra exhibits prominent acidic aromas and overall brightness. With proper processing, its sweetness can be exceptionally well-expressed. However, compared to Bourbon, Caturra has relatively lower body and slightly less clean mouthfeel.

Typically, Caturra produces red cherries, but in very rare regions, yellow Caturra exists, such as the minimal cultivation of yellow Caturra found in Hawaii.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473