How Many Major Coffee Producing Countries Are There in Central America and Which is the Best Coffee Region in Panama?

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style)

FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Panama's Premium Coffee Growing Regions

In earlier years, Costa Rica and Guatemala were the main representatives of Central American coffee origins, offering sweet, smooth acidity that directly tantalizes the taste buds. Their gentle, flavorful, and aromatic coffee leaves an unforgettable impression!

However, with the emergence of Geisha from Panama's La Esmeralda Estate and the successful Pacamara hybrid from El Salvador, these varieties have replaced Costa Rica and Guatemala's position in the coffee world. Leading Central America, they now wave like a banner across the region. Today, Central American coffee beans represent the most diverse and competitive coffee-producing nations.

Panama's premium coffee growing areas are concentrated in the Chiriquí province on the western side of the country. The Boquete region, located within Chiriquí province, boasts Panama's longest coffee history and is home to La Esmeralda Estate. This area not only features fertile volcanic soil but is also shrouded in mist, keeping temperatures moderate while providing abundant annual rainfall - the perfect growing environment that Arabica coffee trees love. It's no wonder the coffee quality here is exceptional!

The microclimates of Panama's highlands are the most important resource that makes Panama's unique coffee one-of-a-kind. The east-to-west environment of the Republic of Panama allows cold air currents to flow through the central mountain range, converging at altitudes above 6,500 feet. This creates various microclimates in the Boquete and Volcán-Candela regions, making them the main production areas for Panama's distinctive coffee. These unique coffees are cultivated in the nutrient-rich, balanced soils of the Barú volcano region. The appropriate microclimates, soil, temperature, and altitude of these highlands are suitable for the sowing, cultivation, and harvesting of various unique coffee varieties.

BOQUETE

The Boquete region is the most famous coffee-growing area in Panama. Its mountainous terrain creates numerous microclimates. The relatively cool weather and frequent fog help slow the maturation of coffee cherries, which some believe is similar to high-altitude climate conditions.

Altitude: 400-1,900m

Harvest: December to March

Varieties: Typica, Caturra, Catuai, Bourbon, Geisha, San Ramon

RENACIMIENTO

Renacimiento is a coffee-growing region within Chiriquí province, bordering Costa Rica. The area itself is relatively small, so it's not one of Panama's main specialty coffee-producing regions.

Altitude: 1,100-1,500m

Harvest: December to March

Varieties: Typica, Caturra, Catuai, Bourbon, Geisha, San Ramon

Knowledge Expansion: The Geisha variety actually originates from Ethiopia and is a direct descendant of Typica!

In Summary: FrontStreet Coffee is a coffee research hall dedicated to sharing coffee knowledge with everyone. We share without reservation to help more friends fall in love with coffee. Every month, we hold three coffee promotion events with significant discounts because FrontStreet Coffee wants to provide the best coffee at the lowest prices to more friends. This has been FrontStreet Coffee's mission for the past six years!

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473