The History, Culture, and Stories of Panama Hartmann Estate's Premium Single-Origin Coffee Beans

History, Culture, and Stories of Panama Hartmann Estate's Premium Single-Origin Coffee Beans

Panama Hartmann Estate

When people discuss Panama's coffee traditions, the specialty production areas they know best come mostly from Boquete. In recent years, however, coffee from the Volcan region has gradually emerged in the specialty market, and quite a few estates there have even entered the Best of Panama competition and won championships. The Volcan region generally receives less annual rainfall than Boquete, and its position on the western side of Baru Volcano gives its coffee more intense dried-fruit flavors, sweetness, and aroma than Boquete's. In the early days the Volcan area was mostly planted with economic crops such as fruits and vegetables, and very few farmers grew coffee. Among them, the pioneers of coffee cultivation in Volcan were the Hartmann family, who are quite well known in Panama.

The Hartmann family's story in Panama is a long history of European immigration. Alois Strasil Hartmann was born in what was then the Austro-Hungarian Empire, now the Czech Republic region. Because political conditions in the country were unstable, he decided to start a new life elsewhere. Alois first stayed in New York, in the United States, then traveled to Panama. After a few months there, though, he found he couldn't adapt to urban life in Panama City. Adventure was always hidden in his blood, and shortly after quitting his job he decided to follow the mountain lines to the Volcan region to work and settle. There he also married his first wife, Susana Troetsch, and they had Hartmann Troetsch, the founder of Hartmann Estate. Beginning in 1940, Hartmann Troetsch inherited his father's farmland and started preparing the land, creating the history of Hartmann Estate that continues to this day. During the first clearing, the elder Hartmann decided to preserve most of the original forest within the estate, and this idea of protecting native forest has continued to shape the current third-generation managers. Today Hartmann Estate still keeps to the tradition, with coffee cultivation land accounting for only about 20% of the entire estate. As a result of that forest protection, the estate is full of native birds, and the locally famous toucan naturally became the estate's standard logo.

Hartmann Estate is currently managed by Hartmann Troetsch's five children, who handle the various estate affairs. The eldest, Ratibor, and Kelly are mainly responsible for important work tied to coffee quality, such as cultivation, breeding, and fertilization within the estate grounds, and they are the soul figures of Hartmann Estate. Besides their own estate, the Hartmann family also provides management services for estates near Volcan; Ninety Plus' estates in Panama, for example, have always kept close cooperative relationships with the Hartmann family to manage estate matters.

At Hartmann Estate, Ojo de Agua has always been a section the family quite likes. It sits at a higher altitude within the estate, with very limited annual production, and currently grows only a few varieties including Geisha, Caturra, and Catuai. The total estate area is 120 hectares, with only 20 hectares used for cultivation. Another estate is named Santa Clara, which serves as both a coffee estate and nursery as well as the site of Hartmann Estate's washed processing plant. This area is also where the owner experiments with different varieties' flavor expression; more than ten varieties are currently under trial, and if promising ones are identified, larger-scale cultivation is planned for the future.

Caturra Variety

Caturra is a single-gene variant of Bourbon, discovered in Brazil in 1937. Its production capacity and disease resistance are both better than Bourbon's, and the plant is shorter, which makes harvesting convenient. Unfortunately, like Bourbon, it suffers from biennial production fluctuations. On the other hand, it adapts easily, doesn't need shade trees, and can thrive under direct strong sunlight; it is called Sun Coffee and can handle high-density cultivation, but it needs more fertilization, which raises costs, so initial farmer acceptance was not high.

In the 1970s, though, when coffee prices soared, farmers flocked to planting Caturra to raise output. With vigorous promotion by Brazilian and Colombian authorities, the results were fruitful. Farmers' acceptance of Caturra brought a major transformation in cultivation techniques: Brazil and Colombia adopted high-yield, high-density sun cultivation, and by 1990 one million hectares could harvest 14 million bags of coffee, a 60% increase in production capacity. No wonder high-production, high-quality Caturra has become a variety that producing countries now rely on.

Caturra suits cultivation from low altitudes of 700 meters up to 1,700 meters, with strong altitude adaptability. The higher the altitude, the better the flavor, but production capacity drops accordingly, the fate of specialty beans. Some academics call Caturra the intensive, sun-exposed version of Bourbon, which is quite apt. There is also a yellow Caturra variant (Caturra Amarello) in Central and South America, though its reputation is not as good as Yellow Bourbon's.

When lightly roasted, Caturra has an obvious fruity aroma and overall brightness. With proper processing, its sweetness can be expressed very well, but its body is relatively low compared with Bourbon, and the cleanliness of the mouthfeel is somewhat lacking.

Caturra usually produces red berries, but there are also some extremely rare regions with yellow Caturra, such as Hawaii, where very small amounts are cultivated.

Hand-pour Hartmann Brewing Method

15g of powder, medium grind (small Fuji ghost tooth grinder #4), V60 dripper, water at 88-89°C. First infusion with 30g of water, 27-second bloom. Infuse to 105g of water, then stop. Wait until the water level in the powder bed drops to half before continuing. Slowly pour until you reach 225g of water. Don't use the tail section. Water-to-powder ratio 1:15. Extraction time 2:00.

Coffee Details

• Country: Panama
• Grade: SHG
• Region: Volcan
• Altitude: 1250-1700 Meters
• Processing Method: Wine Processing
• Variety: Caturra
• Estate: Hartmann Estate
• Flavor: Smoked wood spices, berries, fruit wine aroma

Panama Hartmann Estate Caturra Wine Processing

• Manufacturer: FrontStreet Coffee
• Ingredients: Self-roasted
• Shelf Life: 30 days
• Net Weight: 227g
• Packaging: Bulk
• Taste: Neutral
• Coffee Bean Raw/Roasted Degree: Roasted coffee beans
• Contains Sugar: Sugar-free
• Origin: Panama
• Coffee Type: Other
• Roasting Degree: Medium roast

Hartmann Estate Introduction

Hartmann's story, like its coffee, is extremely legendary. Hartmann Estate is located in Santa Clara Province, Chiriqui City. The founder is Mr. Alois St. Hartmann (Luis Hartmann). He was born on June 20, 1891, in the Moravia region of Austria-Hungary, now the Czech Republic, and died on May 25, 1970, at the age of 78.

After World War I began, still a small boy, he was abandoned. Thanks to his mother, he was able to hide on a ship bound for Pennsylvania, in the United States, and survived. His two brothers both died in the war after joining the army. Luis Hartmann traveled through several countries with his friends until he came to Panama in 1911 and settled in Chiriqui Province in 1912, mainly active in the Candel area. He built the first small cabin in that primeval forest.

Today's Hartmann Estate is a family business founded in 1940 by Ratibor Hartmann, son of Luis. In 1966 Ratibor married Dinora Sardi from Costa Rica. Together they had five children: little Ratibor, Alan, Alexander, Alice, and Kelly. Each family member takes on responsibilities for coffee growth management, harvesting and processing, and estate tours. A family estate that has grown coffee for over 100 years is itself a legendary story.

This family business has a state-level cupping laboratory and a sample roasting room. They rigorously cup each batch of coffee cherries, which ensures the stable quality of Hartmann Estate's coffee and their constant pursuit of improvement. Their scientific attitude toward coffee and nearly 100 years of family experience guarantee their excellent products.

A legendary estate with a state-level cupping laboratory and sample roasting room: a rigorous attitude and strict standards ensure the stable quality of Hartmann Estate's coffee.

This batch is the wine-processed Caturra variety. From the moment you open the bag, it gives off an extremely rich fruit-wine aroma, accompanied by fresh smoked wood spice notes and the special berry sweetness and aroma of natural processing. Just smelling it, you're already intoxicated. On the palate it comes with rich tropical fruit flavors, like a cocktail carefully blended from passion fruit, mango, orange, and berry juices with peach wine. No, this is a cocktail from nature.

Among all the coffee-producing regions on Earth today, very few have successfully tested wine-like processing methods. After years of testing, this method can finally control the acidity structure in coffee. Coffee fermented in a wine-like way greatly enhances the sweetness, cleanliness, and multi-layered, complex yet elegant acidity, improving both the quality and the uniqueness of the product.

Wine processing is also called controlled fermentation, or lactic acid/acetic acid fermentation.

The experimental team is led by American Felipe Sardi and composed of biological scientists and ecologists who apply technologies such as solar energy to cultivation and green bean processing.

Specialized hand-picking teams have been trained and strictly follow the picking requirements for specialty coffee beans: unripe fruit under 2%, defective beans under 3%, floating beans under 5%.

Acetic Acid Fermentation Method - Aerobic Fermentation

Lactic Acid Fermentation Method - Anaerobic Fermentation

Taste Expectations:

Acetic Acid Fermentation: Cleaner, livelier acidity, brighter acidity, citric acid.

Lactic Acid Fermentation: More rounded mouthfeel, lower cleanliness than acetic acid fermentation, higher body, malic acid/tartaric acid.

Previously, processing plants used generationally inherited manual methods, such as biting a bean to feel its fermentation degree. That fermentation is uncontrollable and variable.

Controlled fermentation uses pH value to monitor fermentation degree, achieving predictable results and consistent quality for each batch.

Hartmann Estate Washed

• Country: Panama
• Region: Volcan
• Altitude: 1250-1800 meters
• Processing Method: Washed
• Grade: SHB
• Variety: Arabica
• Flavor Description: Stone fruits, cream, vanilla with herbal plant tail notes

Hartmann Estate Natural

• Country: Panama
• Region: Volcan
• Altitude: 1250-1800 meters
• Processing Method: Natural
• Grade: SHB
• Variety: Arabica
• Flavor Description: Wine aroma, fruit juice, grapes, longan

Hartmann Estate Pacamara Natural

• Country: Panama
• Region: Volcan
• Altitude: 1250-1800 meters
• Processing Method: Natural
• Grade: SHB
• Variety: Pacamara
• Flavor Description: Dried fruits, smoky, cardamom-type spices, onion, melon-type aromas

Hartmann Estate Geisha Natural

• Country: Panama
• Region: Volcan
• Altitude: 1250-1800 meters
• Processing Method: Natural
• Grade: SHB
• Variety: Geisha
• Flavor Description: Citrus, melon-type aromas, tropical fruits

Hartmann Estate Overview

Hartmann Estate is a coffee estate jointly operated by the Hartmann family.

The estate founder is Alois Strasil Hartmann.

He came to Panama's Boquete region around 1918 to start his cultivation business.

Currently Hartmann Estate has two coffee farms: Ojo de Agua and Palo Verde.

They are about two miles apart from each other. Coffee at Ojo de Agua is grown under shade trees.

Many areas within the estate are primeval forest.

It is also one of the buffer zones of the famous

La Amistad Forest Reserve, spanning Costa Rica and Panama.

The average altitude falls between 1220 and 1828 meters.

The dirt roads within the estate lead to various native wildlife habitats.

Perfect for bird watching, hiking, and exploration.

The Palo Verde farm is what we know as Hartmann Estate.

The coffee grown here is also cultivated under rainforest shade trees.

Average altitude is 1250 meters, with annual temperatures between 12.7 and 26.6 degrees Celsius.

Annual rainfall is 4500 cm.

There are extensive dirt roads within the estate.

There is also a small museum collecting insect specimens and local handicrafts.

Panama

Population: 3,406,000

Coffee in Panama is defined by how it is produced rather than by geographical division. Previously, when coffee was more widely cultivated and when the regions listed below were smaller and more closely clustered, the coffee beans produced could be combined as one unit.

BOQUETE

The Boquete region is Panama's most famous production area. Its mountainous terrain creates many microclimates. Relatively cool weather and frequent fog help slow the maturation of the cherries, and some believe this resembles a high-altitude climate.

• Altitude: 400-1,900m
• Harvest: December - March
• Varieties: Typica, Caturra, Catuai, Bourbon, Geisha, San Ramon

VOLCAN-CANDELA

The Candela volcano area produces most of Panama's food and some amazing coffee. The region is named after Baru Volcano and Piedra Candela city, and it borders Costa Rica.

• Altitude: 1,200-1,600m
• Harvest: December - March
• Varieties: Typica, Caturra, Catuai, Bourbon, Geisha, San Ramon

RENACIMIENTO

Renacimiento is a production area in Chiriqui province, bordering Costa Rica. The area itself is quite small, so it is not Panama's main specialty coffee producing region.

• Altitude: 1,100-1,500m
• Harvest: December - March
• Varieties: Typica, Caturra, Catuai, Bourbon, Geisha, San Ramon

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

The Hartmann Estate sits in Volcan, and if this look at Panama's western growing region has you curious, the cleanest place to start is Boquete, Panama's most famous specialty area. The FrontStreet Boquete Geisha is an entry-level Geisha grown in the Boquete area, at an altitude of 1,600 meters on fertile volcanic ash soil. It lets you taste the classic high-quality Panama Geisha for an accessible price, with the orange-blossom-and-honey charm, an oolong tea-like feel, and delicate fruit sweet-tartness in clearly defined layers.

To explore how variety shapes a cup the way Caturra does here, try the FrontStreet Panama Washed Butterfly, whose beans carry half of Geisha's fine pedigree. It is a blend of three varieties, Geisha, Caturra, and Catuai, grown in the Baru Volcano area of Boquete, where Panama's distinctive microclimate brings generous rainfall, a wide day-night temperature swing, and the volcanic-rock soil typical of the region. Careful harvesting and refined processing make it shine in overall body, citrus acidity, and the jasmine aroma of Geisha, and it suits both pour-over and cold brew.

And if you want to taste the highest tier, the FrontStreet Esmeralda Red Label, sold as "Esmeralda Special," is grown at 1,600-1,800 meters. Every lot must cup at 91 or above and carries its own number, and each lot comes entirely from a single small plot, such as the Jaramillo or Canas Verdes parcels, so buyers can pick a batch that matches the fine flavor nuances they enjoy. Esmeralda is both the discoverer of Geisha's flavor and its great promoter, and its care for the variety is visible in these gradings.