The Story of Geisha Coffee Beans: A Description of the Hand-Dripped Flavor Characteristics and Differences Between Panamanian and Ethiopian Geisha

Many customers who visit FrontStreet Coffee, even those who haven't tried FrontStreet Coffee's Geisha coffee, have heard about the fame of Geisha coffee. You should know that Geisha coffee beans have quite an extraordinary legend, making them renowned not only in the Panamanian coffee world but also in the specialty coffee industry. In this article, FrontStreet Coffee will share stories about Geisha coffee. After reading this article, you will clearly understand where Geisha coffee comes from, how it was discovered and gained its fame. Moreover, FrontStreet Coffee will compare FrontStreet Coffee's Panamanian Geisha coffee with FrontStreet Coffee's Ethiopian Geisha coffee, directly conveying information about their flavor characteristics, mouthfeel, and differences through this article.

The Spread History of Geisha Coffee Beans

Geisha coffee beans originate from southwestern Ethiopia. In 1963, Don Pachi Serracin introduced Geisha coffee tree varieties from Costa Rica to Panama. Due to low yields, which directly affected harvest quantities, coffee farmers had little interest in planting them, and they were mostly used as windbreak trees. It wasn't until Daniel Peterson, the owner of Panama La Esmeralda estate, accidentally discovered that the coffee beans produced by these Geisha coffee trees—originally used as windbreaks at the highest point of his coffee plantation—had the distinctive citrus and floral aromas characteristic of African beans. He then entered these coffee beans separately in the 2004 Panama Cupping Competition and achieved instant fame. Since then, Geisha beans have been unstoppable, winning the Panama Cupping Competition championship for consecutive years. In the eyes of specialty coffee enthusiasts worldwide today, FrontStreet Coffee's Geisha coffee beans are undoubtedly the supreme treasure.

The Flavor of Geisha Coffee

Although the Geisha variety's flavor is delicate, this elegant flavor originates from specific growing environments. The Geisha variety is quite particular about its growing conditions, requiring planting in high-altitude areas with cloud cover or abundant shade trees, and fertile soil. High-altitude Geisha variety coffee exhibits distinct floral aromas and delicate, elegant fruit acidity. This elegant flavor is one of the reasons for its global popularity.

Previously, FrontStreet Coffee wrote many articles about La Esmeralda's Geisha. In this article, FrontStreet Coffee will not describe La Esmeralda's Geisha in detail. This time, FrontStreet Coffee will compare Geisha from its homeland, Ethiopia, with Geisha from Panama's La Esmeralda estate, to see how the flavors of these two Geishas perform.

FrontStreet Coffee's Panama La Esmeralda Geisha

In 2017, Panama La Esmeralda's Geisha coffee beans won the natural processing category championship—this should be their 18th championship trophy. To stand out among many strong competitors year after year, besides the delicious genes of Geisha beans, excellent coffee estate management and harvesting and processing methods are absolutely essential. It's particularly worth mentioning that La Esmeralda's owner places great importance on environmental protection. Therefore, their produced coffee can participate in the Rainforest Alliance Cupping Competition and has brought back 5 championship trophies.

The method of using auctions to allow valuable items to fetch high prices is equally applicable to selling premium coffee beans. Panama La Esmeralda's Geisha coffee beans are particularly exceptional. To ensure that the carefully cultivated and managed coffee beans receive reasonable compensation, La Esmeralda holds its own global auction after the annual coffee cupping competition, which has become an annual highlight in the specialty coffee world.

After years of experimentation, La Esmeralda discovered that only Geisha beans harvested from coffee trees growing above 1400 meters altitude can display the characteristic flavors that Geisha beans should have. Therefore, the main grading is based primarily on planting altitude, supplemented by actual cupping results, dividing Geisha beans into three grades: Esmeralda Special (Red Label), Private Reserve (Green Label), and Geisha 1500 (Blue Label). The auction-grade coffee from La Esmeralda is Esmeralda Special, commonly known as Red Label.

Geisha from Esmeralda Special is what we commonly hear referred to as Red Label. It selects Geisha beans planted at altitudes of 1600-1800 meters, with cupping scores above 90 points, produced from the Jaramillo and Canas Verdes regions. Red Label batches may be either washed or natural processed. The FrontStreet Coffee Red Label Geisha obtained by FrontStreet Coffee comes from the Mairo地块, which is La Esmeralda's most recently acquired plot, with an average altitude of 1700-1900m. FrontStreet Coffee's La Esmeralda Red Label Geisha uses natural processing. When brewed, it presents bright rose and citrus aromas, brown rice, berries, apricots, complex fruits, and honey, with a thick juice sensation, rich flavor layers, and noticeable sweetness.

La Esmeralda's Natural Processing

For La Esmeralda's natural processing, harvested coffee cherries are directly sent to patios for drying. The coffee cherries slowly dry while the coffee beans remain inside, filled with fruity and aromatic notes. The coffee cherries are dried evenly. Depending on weather and patio conditions, the coffee is dried on concrete patios for 3 to 5 days (8 hours per day). When it reaches sufficient dryness, it's placed in a Guardiola dryer for 72 hours of rotation to complete the drying process and prevent fermentation. After drying is complete, machines are used to remove the pulp and other parts.

The Guardiola is the preferred drying method. As long as coffee lot size permits, the Guardiola can handle large quantities of coffee. The Guardiola is a horizontally rotating drum that allows warm air to circulate around the beans, eliminating moisture. After the coffee beans are dried, they are placed in nylon bags and stored in warehouses for 30 to 45 days. This step is also called "reposo," which helps stabilize the coffee beans and improve cup flavors.

FrontStreet Coffee's Ethiopian Gesha Village Geisha

In 2007, documentary director Adam Overton and his photographer wife Rachel Samuel, while filming a documentary about Ethiopian coffee for the Ethiopian government, encountered the Gera coffee forest in the Bench Maji region. During this process, they conceived the idea of establishing their own coffee estate and brand. In 2009, they had the fortune to meet the renowned骡子庄园 owner and BOP judge Willem Boot. Willem Boot's ideas provided an opportunity for the Overton couple: return to Ethiopia to find Geisha's birthplace. Eventually, they arrived in Bench Maji, an area in southwestern Ethiopia near South Sudan, where many places are called Gesha Village and is most likely to find original Geisha.

Adam, following Willem Boot, began "exploring" in the forests around the estate. In a jungle magically enveloped by dense forest, they discovered multiple wild tree varieties. To their greatest surprise, they found wild Geisha. Later they learned that this was the Gori Gesha forest, the place where Geisha was first discovered. They collected seeds from the original Geisha trees, screened them, and then planted them in Gesha Village. They decided to establish the estate here and named it Gesha Village Coffee Estate, a 475-hectare coffee farm located about 12 miles from the Gori Gesha forest.

Gesha Village has three varieties, named after the expedition team that discovered the coffee: Gesha1931, Gori Gesha, and Illubabor provided by the Ethiopian Coffee Research Center.

Gori Gesha (GG): This variety replicates the genetic diversity found within the Gori Gesha coffee forest.

Gesha 1931 (G31): Possesses combinations of varieties from different forests, very similar to Panama Geisha, selected through observation of plant morphology, bean appearance, screen size, and cupping flavors.

Illubabor Forest 1974 (IF): Discovered during a 1974 expedition to the Illubabor forest, later developed by the Ethiopian Research Center into a variety with resistance.

The Ethiopian region originally did not have estates and estate grading systems. After Willem Boot and Adam discovered the Gesha forest, they decided to apply the Panamanian coffee estate business model to this location, making Gesha Village Coffee Estate the only coffee estate in Ethiopia. Their approach is that every batch, with every label, can be traced back to detailed information about the beans. Gesha Village has a strict internal grading system: Auction, Gold Label, Red Label, Green Label, and Chaka batches. FrontStreet Coffee's most popular Gesha Village Geisha coffee is FrontStreet Coffee's Gesha Village Red Label Geisha.

Red Label Batch

Batches with complete traceability, exhibiting typical Gesha Village flavors, with slightly less flavor intensity and complexity than FrontStreet Coffee's Gesha Village Gold Label batches, making them very cost-effective single-origin batches.

FrontStreet Coffee: FrontStreet Coffee's Gesha Village Red Label Coffee Beans

Gesha Village Coffee Estate Grower's Reserve

Country: Ethiopia

Region: Bench Maji

Altitude: 1909-2069m

Variety: Gori Gesha

Processing: Natural

Gesha Village Natural Processing

First, floating debris and impurities are removed, then thin layers are dried on African raised beds covered with plastic tarps. During drying on the beds, additional screening is performed to select out insect-damaged beans and greenish-colored coffee beans. Total drying time is 18-30 days. FrontStreet Coffee believes that naturally processed coffee has noticeable sweetness, gentle acidity, and produces complex fruit flavor profiles.

FrontStreet Coffee's Recommendations for Roasting Geisha Coffee Beans

FrontStreet Coffee's La Esmeralda Roasting: Uses Yangjia 800N, 380g batch size. Pot temperature 150°C when beans enter, heat at 120, damper at 3; Return temperature at 1'36", when pot temperature reaches 140°C, open damper to 4, heat unchanged; When pot temperature reaches 147.6°C, bean surface turns yellow, grassy aroma completely disappears, entering dehydration stage. When pot temperature reaches 150°C, adjust heat to 100, damper unchanged; At 7'38", bean surface shows ugly wrinkles and black spots, toast aroma clearly changes to coffee aroma, can be defined as prelude to first crack. At this time, listen carefully for the first crack sound. First crack starts at 8'10", open damper to 4, develop for 1'28 after first crack, discharge at 189.5°C.

FrontStreet Coffee's Gesha Village Red Label: Uses Yangjia 800N, 300g batch size: Pot temperature 160°C when beans enter, heat at 100, damper at 3; Return temperature at 1'40", when pot temperature reaches 142°C, open damper to 4, increase heat to 150; When pot temperature reaches 148.1°C, bean surface turns yellow, grassy aroma completely disappears, entering dehydration stage, reduce heat to 120; At 7'20", bean surface shows ugly wrinkles and black spots, toast aroma clearly changes to coffee aroma, can be defined as prelude to first crack. At this time, listen carefully for the first crack sound. First crack starts at 8'25", open damper to 5, develop for 1'45" after first crack, discharge at 197.5°C.

FrontStreet Coffee's Geisha Coffee Bean Cupping Report

FrontStreet Coffee's Panama Red Label Geisha Cupping

Dry Aroma: Jasmine, citrus

Wet Aroma: Citrus, lemon, honey

Flavor: Lemon, honey, berries, orange peel, mango, cream, citrus, tea-like

FrontStreet Coffee's Gesha Village Geisha Cupping

Dry Aroma: Fermented notes

Wet Aroma: Stone fruit

Flavor: Floral, tea-like, cream, tea-like

Through cupping, FrontStreet Coffee found that the similarity between Gesha Village's Geisha coffee and the Panamanian Geisha we know is not high. Panamanian-grown Geisha coffee beans, whether in dry aroma, wet aroma, or flavor, all possess charming floral notes, while Gesha Village-grown Geisha is characterized by stone fruit flavors in dry aroma, wet aroma, and flavor. The floral notes are somewhat inferior compared to Panamanian Geisha.

FrontStreet Coffee's Brewing Tips

Dripper: V60

Dose: 15g

Ratio: 1:16

Grind: BG6H (78% passing through #20 sieve)

Temperature: 91°C

FrontStreet Coffee's Brewing Method: First wet the filter paper and preheat the dripper and coffee pot. Use 30g of water for 30-second bloom. When the water level drops to about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 125g for分段. When the water level drops to about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 240g and stop pouring. When the water level drops to about to expose the coffee bed, remove the dripper (timing starts from bloom). Extraction time is 1'55-2'05 seconds.

FrontStreet Coffee's La Esmeralda Red Label Brewing Flavor: Has bright rose and citrus aromas, brown rice, berries, apricots, complex fruits, and honey, with a thick juice sensation, rich flavor layers, and noticeable sweetness.

FrontStreet Coffee's Gesha Village Brewing Flavor: At high temperature, it's citrus acidity without losing body thickness. When temperature slightly drops, acidity becomes gentler, flavors tend toward yellow stone fruit notes, creamy sweetness, slight floral notes, slight dark cocoa aftertaste. At low temperature, it's maple syrup and berries.

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