Introduction to the Flavor and Characteristics of Panama Geisha Coffee Beans - French Press Brewing Method for Emerald Geisha Red Label

Today, if you ask any coffee enthusiast which coffee is the most expensive, the most common answer would likely be "Geisha coffee." As times have evolved, so have people's flavor preferences. The once-popular rich, full-bodied Blue Mountain coffee has now given way to the floral and fruity aromas of Geisha coffee.

For those who haven't yet tasted Panamanian Geisha, their first experience might be stunningly impressive—with intense floral aromas and sweet-tart fruit juice sensations, they might wonder how such heavenly flavors could exist. Meanwhile, some who have only heard the name "Geisha" without understanding its background might get excited when they see "Red Label" at other cafés, only to be disappointed when the taste is completely different from what they expected.

The Origins and Journey of Geisha Coffee

As is well known, the Geisha coffee variety originated in Ethiopia. In 1931, a British ambassador recorded the Geisha coffee variety during an expedition in Ethiopia, marking the first documented reference to this variety. Later, this variety was collected and sent to coffee research institutes in Kenya and Tanzania for study. After several transitions, the Geisha variety was transferred to the CATIE Agricultural Research Center in Costa Rica, where it was cataloged as T2722.

Due to Geisha's resistance to coffee leaf rust disease, some farmers obtained Geisha seeds from CATIE. Among them was a plantation owner named Don Pachi, who introduced and cultivated the Geisha variety in the 1960s, sharing different coffee varieties with other coffee plantation owners in Panama. Since many plantations didn't keep detailed records of their plantings, many only noticed that lower-altitude coffee tasted better than higher-altitude coffee without realizing it was due to the variety difference—until Hacienda La Esmeralda's championship victory awakened them to this realization years later.

Meanwhile, Hacienda La Esmeralda, also in Panama, seeking to improve their coffee quality, purchased many different coffee varieties from CATIE in Costa Rica and planted them on their plantation. Through recording and comparison, they discovered that the Geisha variety performed exceptionally well. Traditional Central American coffee flavors typically feature nutty notes, gentle fruit acidity, and caramel sweetness; however, Geisha variety coffee revealed white floral aromas and rich fruit flavors.

The Rise to Fame

Daniel, the owner of Hacienda La Esmeralda, following advice from industry leaders, submitted a washed Geisha coffee from the Mario lot to the 2004 BOP (Best of Panama) competition, where it won first place and broke the auction price record for green coffee that year, wiping away the shame of finishing last at the BOP competition in the late 1990s.

Subsequently, Panamanian coffee plantations began planting this variety one after another. Since then, Hacienda La Esmeralda has become both the discoverer of Geisha coffee flavors and the promoter of Geisha coffee, with many coffee plantations from Central and South America coming to learn from them. Additionally, some people specifically traveled to Ethiopia to trace the roots of the Geisha variety and established the Geisha Village Estate near the Geisha forest. Although the Geisha Village Estate also grows Geisha variety, scientific verification has shown that Geisha Village's Geisha is genetically very different from Panamanian Geisha, meaning their dominant flavor profiles are vastly different.

Global Cultivation and Panamanian Excellence

The Geisha variety is now cultivated in multiple coffee-producing regions including Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Yunnan China, and Taiwan China. However, after cupping and comparing Geisha coffees from various regions, FrontStreet Coffee believes that Geisha coffee beans from Panama are more outstanding in flavor.

Panamanian Geisha coffee's distinctive floral aromas, full fruit juice sensations, and rich layered mouthfeel are unparalleled by Geisha coffee grown in other regions. Panama's coffee-growing areas are located near the Baru Volcano, whose peak reaches nearly 3,500 meters in altitude, causing warm moist air currents from both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans to converge here, bringing abundant rainfall to nearby areas; the surrounding volcano provides fertile soil rich in mineral deposits. Such uniquely advantageous natural climate, combined with higher altitude terrain, creates heavenly coffee flavors.

Hacienda La Esmeralda's Geisha Offerings

As FrontStreet Coffee mentioned earlier, Hacienda La Esmeralda serves as both the discoverer of Geisha flavors and the promoter of Geisha coffee. Naturally, FrontStreet Coffee's bean list reserves a special section for it. Those familiar with Hacienda La Esmeralda should know that their Geisha brands were originally divided into Red Label, Green Label, and Blue Label. In 2021, to maintain brand image, Hacienda La Esmeralda discontinued the Blue Label brand, leaving only Red Label and Green Label Geisha offerings.

Among these, the Red Label represents the most important Geisha coffee brand from Hacienda La Esmeralda, selecting Geisha coffee beans from above 1,600 meters altitude that also score above 90 points in cupping. The Hacienda La Esmeralda Red Label Geisha on FrontStreet Coffee's bean list is made from slowly natural-processed Geisha coffee beans from the Mario lot. FrontStreet Coffee specifically chose Geisha coffee beans from the same lot that won the 2004 BOP championship—the Mario lot.

Additionally, the slow natural processing method involves drying the entire coffee fruit slowly under the sun, allowing as many sugars as possible to slowly permeate into the green coffee beans, resulting in more intense aromas and sweetness in the coffee.

Coffee Details and Brewing Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee: Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Red Label Geisha Coffee Beans
Region: Boquete, Panama
Estate: Hacienda La Esmeralda
Lot: Mario
Altitude: 1,600-1,800 meters
Variety: Geisha
Processing: Slow Natural

When roasting these coffee beans, FrontStreet Coffee uses a medium-light roast to best highlight their floral and fruity aromas as well as the full fruit juice sensation. For brewing, FrontStreet Coffee recommends using a 1:16 coffee-to-water ratio, slightly extending the ratio to better appreciate the floral aromas, while preventing flavors from becoming too concentrated and making the acidity more gentle.

Pour-over Parameters:
Dripper: Hario V60
Water Temperature: 90°C
Coffee Amount: 15 grams
Coffee-to-Water Ratio: 1:16
Grind Size: 80% passing through Chinese standard #20 sieve

Pour 30 grams of hot water for blooming for 30 seconds. Then, starting from the center, pour in a fine, steady stream while slowly circling to 140 grams. When the water level in the dripper drops to just above the coffee bed, continue circling while pouring to 240 grams. Total extraction time should be approximately 2 minutes.

Even though FrontStreet Coffee ships freshly roasted coffee beans within 5 days of roasting, they typically undergo a 4-7 day degassing period upon arrival. During brewing, FrontStreet Coffee recommends including the blooming step because carbon dioxide in the coffee beans prevents hot water from entering the internal structure to dissolve flavor compounds. Therefore, blooming is recommended to promote degassing of the coffee powder, providing more stable conditions for subsequent flavor extraction.

Hacienda La Esmeralda Red Label Geisha brewed with the above parameters by FrontStreet Coffee presents berry-like sweet-tart notes, distinct white floral aromas, honey-like sweetness, with a clean and bright mouthfeel.

French Press Brewing Method

If using a French press, FrontStreet Coffee recommends a grind size of 75% passing through Chinese standard #20 sieve, a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, 4 minutes steeping time, and water temperature of 93°C.

First, preheat the French press and discard the hot water. Then add 15 grams of coffee grounds to the French press and pour in 225 grams of hot water. Put the lid on.

After 4 minutes, gently press the plunger down to about one-quarter of the press's height, then pour out the coffee liquid to enjoy.

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