Panama Nuguo Estate Pressure Anaerobic Fermentation Process Geisha Coffee Beans

Region: Panama, Volcan

Estate: Finca Nuguo

Altitude: 1700m-1900m

Variety: Geisha

Processing Method: Pressure Anaerobic Fermentation Process

Harvest Season: 2021

Coffee Growing Region

When discussing Panama's coffee traditions, most people are familiar with specialty coffee growing regions from Boquete, but in recent years, coffee from the Volcan region has gradually emerged in the specialty market, with quite a few estates entering and even winning the Best of Panama competition. The Volcan region receives less average annual rainfall than the Boquete region and is located on the west side of Baru Volcano. These geographical conditions give Volcan region coffee beans more intense dried fruit flavors, sweetness, and aroma compared to those from the Boquete region.

Finca Nuguo

Finca Nuguo is located in Alto Jurutungo (meaning "remote and inaccessible place") in Panama's Volcan region, adjacent to La Amistad National Park. Due to the excellent natural environment, the estate hosts a rich variety of birds, so the Gallardo family named the estate "Nuguo" (Nuguo means "bird" in Spanish).

As one of the Gallardo Family's most treasured micro-Geisha estates, although Finca Nuguo produces limited quantities each year, the coffee's flavor is anything but "limited." The estate's average altitude ranges from 1700-1900 meters, bringing diverse microclimates, abundant rainfall, and significant temperature variations. The nutrient-rich volcanic soil and good shade from the original forest allow Geisha coffee to accumulate essence and rich flavors here.

Geisha Coffee Variety

Geisha coffee first rose to prominence at the 2004 Best of Panama (BOP) green bean competition, when Hacienda La Esmeralda won first place with an "unfamiliar coffee bean" - that bean was Geisha coffee. With its fragrant white floral aroma, delicate and elegant citrus acidity, and sweet honey notes, Geisha made all specialty coffee-producing countries want to cultivate this variety.

According to years of research by coffee botanists, Panama's Geisha was discovered in the Geisha forest of Ethiopia, then sent to the Kenyan Coffee Research Laboratory, and later traveled through Tanzania and Costa Rica before being introduced to Panama in 1970. It was initially used by Hacienda La Esmeralda as a windbreak for borders. Later, the estate owner discovered that coffee from these border coffee trees achieved excellent cupping scores, so they began variety separation and breeding. Finally, it became world-famous in 2004, and until today, Geisha coffee's flavor and price remain exceptionally beautiful.

Pressure Anaerobic Fermentation Process

The pressure anaerobic fermentation process is something Finca Nuguo began experimenting with in 2018. Due to the difficulty of the processing method, after two years of continuous improvement and adjustment, they finally launched pressure anaerobic fermented Geisha coffee beans in 2020.

After harvesting, the estate owner carefully selects the fruits and places mature cherries in vacuum-sealed bags for 4-9 days. During this time, the coffee cherries undergo anaerobic fermentation, and the carbon dioxide produced during the process causes the vacuum bags to expand.

After completing the fermentation stage, some of the coffee cherries are sent for constant temperature drying (45% humidity, 24°C temperature), with drying times lasting 4-8 weeks. Another portion remains on the estate for natural drying (estate average temperature 16°C), with drying times lasting up to 21 days. Finally, the dried coffee beans undergo resting treatment, with hulling occurring only 1-2 weeks before export.

FrontStreet Coffee's Roasting Recommendations

When FrontStreet Coffee received the green beans, they detected sweet and sour floral and fruit aromas with a faint grassy scent. To express this bean's sweetness, acidity, and floral-fruit aromas, FrontStreet Coffee decided to use a medium-light roast, removing the beans at the peak of first crack. Since new harvest green coffee beans have high moisture content, it's necessary to extend the dehydration time between the return temperature point and yellowing point, allowing this Geisha bean's surface and core to heat evenly.

Cupping Flavor Description

FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Recommendations

Dripper: V60#01

Water Temperature: 91°C

Dose: 15g

Ratio: 1:15

Grind Size: Medium-fine grind (78% pass-through rate on Chinese standard #20 sieve)

Three-Stage Pouring Technique: First pour 30g of water for a 30-second bloom. Then, using a small stream, pour in a circle to 125g, then segment. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g and stop. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed again, remove the dripper. (Timing starts from the beginning of the bloom) Total extraction time is 2'10".