Colombia Cauca La Esperanza Estate Geisha Coffee Bean Flavor Profile Characteristics and Brewing Methods

It is true that Panamanian Geisha coffee is indeed one of the world's finest specialty coffees, but if FrontStreet Coffee only recognized Geisha from one estate, we would miss out on many other Geisha coffees from different producing regions. While not necessarily better or worse in quality than Panamanian varieties, those with regional flavor characteristics are ones that FrontStreet Coffee wants to explore! Today's FrontStreet Coffee Margaret Geisha comes from Colombia, and we're introducing this bean because it has enough distinctive characteristics to attract us. It features prominent citrus sweetness and acidity, delicate floral aromas, pleasant tea-like notes, and a finish that transforms into creamy, honey-like sweetness. It delivers Geisha flavors but with a different layer complexity.

Colombia La Esperanza

La Esperanza is located in the Cauca region, which features high-altitude mountain terrain reaching up to 2,100 meters. The suitable precipitation, significant day-night temperature differences, and volcanic soil here are all ideal for coffee tree growth. The pronounced day-night temperature differences formed at high altitudes are the biggest distinction from other Colombian producing regions. Coffee beans mature longer, fully absorbing nutrients, which creates the pleasant sweet and sour profile of Cauca coffee.

The estate is not a personal or family-owned coffee farm, but rather a collective of several coffee farmers who sell under the unified name La Esperanza. La Esperanza is distributed in forests at altitudes of 1,400-1,650 meters, where coffee beans are hand-harvested when fully ripe. The coffee farmers insist on maintaining excellent growing environments and diligently controlling the quality of green coffee beans. It was the champion estate in the 2007 Colombia Coffee Competition and also took 9th, 12th, and 14th places in 2008 (different coffee growers). In November 2008, American coffee master Kenneth Davids (author of Coffee Review and Home Coffee Roasting) gave it a high score of 93 points, making it a top-tier Colombian estate.

According to FrontStreet Coffee's research, La Esperanza actually owns four estates (Esperanza, Las Margaritas, Cerro Azul, and Potosi). It has won Best of Panama champion (2008) and runner-up (2009). In 2012, it secured three spots in the top ten of SCAA Coffee of the Year with rankings of 2nd, 3rd, and 7th. In the GFA (Good Food Award), La Esperanza also became the only award-winning estate outside of Ethiopia, Kenya, and Panama regions.

Washed and Honey Processing

FrontStreet Coffee has acquired two La Esperanza Geisha coffees from Colombia, processed using washed and honey methods respectively, allowing the green coffee beans to present different flavor profiles.

Washed Process Steps:

Place screened coffee cherries into a depulper to initially remove the skin and pulp; put the green coffee beans with residual pulp and mucilage into water for about 24 hours of fermentation; after fermentation, place the parchment coffee beans in flowing water channels to wash away the pulp and mucilage; after washing, dry the coffee beans either by sun-drying or using drying machines until the moisture content reaches about 12%. Finally, remove the parchment from the green coffee beans.

Honey Process Steps:

When using honey processing, coffee farmers first pour fresh coffee cherries into water tanks for floatation selection, removing underripe defective beans and impurities like stones. After removing the outermost skin using specialized equipment, beans with some remaining pulp undergo a period of "dry fermentation," then enter the drying process. The so-called "honey" refers to the sticky state of sugar substances in the mucilage after fermentation, which resembles honey, hence the name "honey processing."

Due to the higher growing altitude, FrontStreet Coffee appropriately extended the roasting rhythm to ensure the beans could fully release their flavors while avoiding underbaking. At the same time, to present the floral and fruity characteristics of Geisha, FrontStreet Coffee chose a medium-light roast degree, allowing the coffee to better express its own aromas.

FrontStreet Coffee Green Bean Analysis

The variety of this FrontStreet Coffee La Esperanza bean is Geisha. Geisha coffee is an original variety within Arabica species, particularly picky about growing conditions, requiring high altitude, cloud and shade cover, fertile soil, and sufficient accumulated temperature. The Geisha variety was discovered in 1931 in the Geisha forest of Ethiopia and later sent to the Coffee Research Institute in Kenya. It was introduced to Uganda and Tanzania in 1936; Costa Rica introduced it in 1953. The green beans appear in beautiful blue-green color and smell of distinctly fermented fruit and orange aromas.

FrontStreet Coffee Roasting Analysis

Roaster: Yangjia 800N (300g batch size)

Set drum temperature to 160°C at charging, air damper at 3. After 30 seconds, adjust heat to 140, air damper unchanged. Return temperature at 1'42". When drum temperature reaches 140°C, adjust heat to 120, air damper to 4. At this point, bean surface turns yellow, grassy aroma completely disappears, entering dehydration stage. When drum temperature reaches 166°C, adjust heat to 110, air damper unchanged. At 7'50", ugly wrinkles and black spots appear on bean surface, toast aroma clearly transforms to coffee aroma, which can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this point, listen carefully for the sound of first crack. First crack starts at 8'15", adjust heat to 50, air damper to 5 (adjust heat very carefully, not too low to stop cracking sounds). Development after first crack is 1'28", discharge at 190°C.

Agtron bean color value 70.8 (above image), Agtron ground color value 83.2 (below image), Roast Delta value is 12.4.

Eight hours after roasting completion, FrontStreet Coffee immediately conducted cupping! From the dry aroma, FrontStreet Coffee perceived sweet and sour flavors of grapes and berries. When the coffee entered the mouth, FrontStreet Coffee clearly sensed full blackcurrant juice, followed by rich aromas of orange, smoked plum, and blueberry. As the temperature decreased, the juice-like sensation became more pronounced, and after swallowing, one could clearly perceive a red wine finish, which was very comfortable~

Colombia La Esperanza Geisha

FrontStreet Coffee: Colombia · La Esperanza Geisha Coffee Beans

Country: Colombia

Region: Huila

Altitude: 1,800M

Processing: Honey Process

Grade: SUPREMO

Variety: Geisha

FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Analysis

Dripper: Hario V60

Water Temperature: 90-92°C

Coffee-to-Water Ratio: 1:15-1:16

Grind Size: Fine sugar (80% pass-through rate on China standard #20 sieve)

Brewing Method:

30g water for bloom, 30 seconds. Pour water to 125g in stages. 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, remove the dripper (timing starts from bloom). Extraction time is about two minutes.

When brewed with higher water temperature, this FrontStreet Coffee Colombia La Esperanza Geisha exhibits more prominent sweetness and tea-like notes, with citrus, plum, and bergamot acidity, mid-palate flavors of cinnamon and caramel, and a distinct oolong tea finish. When brewed with lower water temperature, this bean shows clear flavor layering - initially delicate floral aromas and citrus, orange, lemon with slight berry acidity, then mid-palate emerges with creamy, honey sweetness, and the finish has subtle oolong tea aroma and sugarcane aftertaste.

Important Notice :

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