Characteristics of Geisha Coffee from Various Growing Regions and Main Flavor Descriptions - Where is Geisha Coffee Grown?

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Understanding Gesha Coffee: A Comparative Analysis

People's understanding of Gesha coffee is largely defined by its rich and captivating floral aroma characteristics. However, these rich and captivating floral notes are primarily found in Panamanian Gesha coffee. As for Gesha coffee grown in other regions, while it may have floral notes, they are not as prominent, or perhaps just have subtle floral hints. Since Gesha became famous through Panama's Hacienda La Esmeralda, Gesha coffee has also been cultivated in other major coffee-producing countries, but the flavors are distinctly different. FrontStreet Coffee will now compare FrontStreet Coffee's Panamanian Gesha coffee, FrontStreet Coffee's Costa Rican Gesha coffee, and FrontStreet Coffee's Ethiopian Gesha coffee to observe the differences among them.

FrontStreet Coffee's Ethiopian Gesha Coffee

Ethiopia is the birthplace of Gesha coffee, but the Gesha coffee beans currently grown in Ethiopia's Gesha Village have little genetic relationship to the Panamanian Gesha coffee beans we know today.

Ethiopian Gesha coffee is divided into three varieties: Gori Gesha (GG): This variety replicates the genetic diversity found within the Gori Gesha coffee forest. Illubabor Forest 1974 (IF): Discovered during a 1974 expedition to the Illubabor forest, later developed by the Ethiopian Research Center into a disease-resistant variety. Gesha 1931 (G31): A combination of different forest varieties, very similar to Panamanian Gesha, selected through observation of plant morphology, bean appearance, screen size, and cupping results.

The first two varieties of FrontStreet Coffee's Gesha coffee beans are genetically completely different from FrontStreet Coffee's Panamanian Gesha coffee. Although Gesha 1931 is officially described as being closest to Panamanian Gesha in terms of plant shape and cupping performance, the actual genetic consistency percentage is very low. Therefore, the flavors of Ethiopian Gesha coffee and Panamanian Gesha coffee can be said to be completely different.

FrontStreet Coffee's Gesha Village Oma 059 Batch Coffee Beans

Grade: Rarities (Gold) Label
Processing Method: Natural (32 days)
Variety: Gesha 1931
Country: Ethiopia
Region: Bench Maji
Altitude: 1,931-2,040m

FrontStreet Coffee's Ethiopian Gesha Village Gold Label Gesha Coffee Brewing Flavor: Noticeable fermentation on entry, citrus aroma, floral notes, berry-like sweetness and acidity, cream-like smoothness, gentle acidity, moderate sweetness, medium-long finish.

FrontStreet Coffee's Panamanian Gesha Coffee

Panamanian Gesha coffee is where the definition of Gesha coffee began. The phrase "Gesha coffee has captivating floral notes and berry-like sweetness" originated from Hacienda La Esmeralda's Gesha coffee. Discovered in 1931 from the Gesha forest in Ethiopia, Gesha was then sent to Kenya's Coffee Research Institute. In 1936, it was introduced to Uganda and Tanzania, in 1953 to Costa Rica, and around 1960 to Panama. In 2004, Hacienda La Esmeralda's Gesha shot to fame at the BOP competition, establishing the estate's position in the specialty coffee industry.

Hacienda La Esmeralda's FrontStreet Coffee Gesha coffee is divided into three categories: Red Label batch Gesha is grown at altitudes of 1600-1800 meters, scores 90+ points in cupping, and is mainly produced in the Jaramillo and Canas Verdes regions. The FrontStreet Coffee Red Label Gesha that FrontStreet Coffee sourced comes from Canas Verdes, processed using natural methods, with distinct rose aromas and berry-like sweetness.

Green Label batches don't participate in auctions but maintain excellent quality. Green Label Gesha is grown at altitudes of 1600-1800 meters, mainly mixed batches from different plots including Jaramillo and Canas Verdes. On FrontStreet Coffee's bean list, FrontStreet Coffee's Green Label Gesha coffee includes both natural and washed processing. The washed version has floral, fruit, and citrus aromas with a fresh, clean mouthfeel; while the natural processed version maintains the washed base characteristics while imparting a thick, juicy mouthfeel.

FrontStreet Coffee's Blue Label is grown at altitudes of 1400-1500 meters, mixing Gesha coffee beans from three different plots: Jaramillo, Canas Verdes, and El Velo. In previous years, Blue Label Gesha was only available in washed processing, but in 2020, natural processing was added to the Blue Label batch. FrontStreet Coffee sourced FrontStreet Coffee's Blue Label Gesha coffee in both natural and washed varieties. The washed Blue Label has light floral notes and bright acidity, while the natural processed Blue Label has subtle floral notes and a full juice-like sensation.

FrontStreet Coffee's Hacienda La Esmeralda Red Label Gesha Coffee Beans

Region: Boquete, Panama
Estate: Hacienda La Esmeralda
Plot: Canas Verdes, Mario's Plot
Altitude: 1700m+
Processing Method: Natural Processing

FrontStreet Coffee's Panamanian Hacienda La Esmeralda Red Label Gesha Coffee Brewing Flavor: Bright rose and citrus aromas, brown rice, berries, apricots, complex fruits, honey, with a thick juice-like mouthfeel, rich flavor layers, and noticeable sweetness.

FrontStreet Coffee's Costa Rican Gesha Coffee

As FrontStreet Coffee just mentioned when discussing Panamanian Gesha coffee, Panamanian coffee was introduced from Costa Rica. Costa Rica has been cultivating coffee for nearly two hundred years, and coffee as an important economic crop for the country has a very mature industry. Today, there are many newly established estates, most of which have resources and are willing to grow Gesha variety coffee. Among them, the most famous is the Gesha coffee beans from La Candelilla Estate.

The microclimate of La Candelilla Estate is favorable for coffee growth. During the dry season mornings, La Candelilla Estate can experience temperatures of 9 degrees Celsius, rising to 35 degrees Celsius by noon, and then dropping back to 9 degrees Celsius by dusk. Such large day-night temperature differences allow coffee cherries to better accumulate nutrients and produce more refined flavors.

FrontStreet Coffee's Costa Rican La Candelilla Estate Gesha Coffee Beans

Region: Tarrazú, Costa Rica
Estate: La Candelilla Estate
Variety: Gesha Variety
Processing Method: Washed Processing
Altitude: 1750m

FrontStreet Coffee's Costa Rican Gesha Coffee Brewing Flavor: Aroma of jasmine flowers, with distinct lemon acidity on entry, high cleanliness, juice-like mouthfeel, honey sweetness in the middle, and green tea finish.

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