Panama Hartmann Estate Coffee Flavor Profile Processing Methods Quality Characteristics and Taste Introduction

Panama Hartmann Black Winey

FrontStreet Coffee · Panama Hartmann Estate Wine Process

Country: Panama

Grade: SHG

Region: Volcán Region

Altitude: 1250-1700 Meters

Processing Method: Wine Process

Variety: Catuai

Estate: Hartmann Estate

01 | Region Introduction

One of the most important reasons for Panama coffee's unique quality is its microclimate. Bordering Costa Rica and Colombia, Panama's east-to-west environmental flow allows cold air currents to converge above 6,500 feet through the central mountain range, creating a very unique microclimate in the Boquete and Volcán Candela regions, making it the main production area for Panama coffee. The land surrounding these areas is rich in nutrients, and these fertile soils provide perfect cultivation conditions for coffee growth, shaping numerous unique, high-quality coffees.

Volcán Region

When it comes to Panama's coffee traditions, most people are familiar with specialty coffee regions from Boquete, but in recent years, coffees from the Volcán region have gradually emerged in the specialty market, with quite a few estates even entering and winning the Best of Panama competition. The Volcán region generally has less annual rainfall than Boquete, and its geographical location on the western side of Barú Volcano gives coffees more intense dried fruit flavors, sweetness, and aroma compared to those from the Boquete region.

In the early days, the Volcán area mostly grew economic crops like fruits and vegetables, with only a few farmers cultivating coffee. Among the pioneers of coffee cultivation in the Volcán region was the well-known Hartmann family in Panama.

Hartmann Estate

Currently, there are at least two published books themed around Hartmann Estate's bird-friendly and shade-grown practices, with more than ten papers published in scientific journals, demonstrating that their reputation extends not only within the coffee industry but that their environmental protection efforts have also spread to the scientific community.

Today, the estate is continuously operated by the third generation of the family. Mr. Ratibor Hartmann and his four siblings each take on different roles in the estate. They live together on the estate and make their living by growing coffee.

The Legendary History of Hartmann Estate

Hartmann's story is as legendary as its coffee. Hartmann Estate is located in the city of Cerro Punta, Santa Clara District. The founder was Mr. Alois St. Hartmann (Luis Hartmann). He was born on June 20, 1891, in the Moravia region of Austria-Hungary, now the Czech Republic, and died on May 25, 1970, at the age of 78. When World War I began, he was abandoned as a young boy. Thanks to his mother, he was able to hide on a ship bound for Pennsylvania, USA, and survived.

His two brothers both died in the war after joining the military. Luis Hartmann traveled through several countries with his friends until he arrived in Panama in 1911 and settled in Chiriquí Province in 1912, mainly active in the Candela region. He built the first small cabin in this primeval forest. Today's Hartmann Estate is a family business founded in 1940 by Ratibor Hartmann (son of Alois).

In 1966, Ratibor married Dinora Sandi from Costa Rica. They had five children together: Ratibor Jr., Alan, Alexander, Alice, and Kelly. Each family member takes on different responsibilities for coffee cultivation management, harvesting and processing, and estate tours. This family business has a state-level cupping laboratory and sample roasting room. They cup each batch of coffee cherries with rigorous attitudes and strict standards. This ensures stable quality of Hartmann Estate coffee and continuous pursuit of improvement. Their scientific approach to coffee and nearly 100 years of family experience guarantee their excellent products. A family estate that has been growing coffee for over 100 years is itself a legendary story.

The Hartmann family also manages and processes coffee for many estates in Panama, such as Finca La Mula, a frequent winner in Best of Panama, and 90+'s estates in Panama, all under Hartmann family management. Although the estate is very low-key and rarely seen at Best of Panama events, their coffee is among Panama's finest. The Hartmann family's contribution to Panama coffee's current reputation is indispensable.

02| Processing Method

Wine Process (also known as Carbon Dioxide Process)

Also called wine-like processing, inspired by the winemaking process. The wine process can control pH values, and even temperature and humidity, to ensure coffee bean quality, while sealed fermentation prevents aromatic substances from volatilizing easily. Carbon dioxide maceration is a new processing method applied in wine processing, where coffee beans are placed in stainless steel containers after removing pulp and skin, then placed in carbon dioxide gas to create an anaerobic state. Sealing the fermentation barrels allows for the development of more aromatic substances.

Traditional processing methods have difficulty controlling the variable fermentation degree of coffee beans. However, the wine process can control pH values, and even temperature and humidity, to ensure coffee bean quality, while sealed fermentation prevents aromatic substances from volatilizing easily.

The wine process for coffee beans, also called wine-like processing, is inspired by the winemaking process. For example, eight estates in Colombia have successfully brought coffee beans processed with this method to market. Based on information from these eight estates, we can roughly classify wine process types into: acetic fermentation (aerobic fermentation), lactic acid fermentation (anaerobic fermentation), and mixed fermentation (mixed fermentation = aerobic + anaerobic).

03| Green Bean Analysis

FrontStreet Coffee's Panama Hartmann Estate Wine Process variety is Catuai, grade SHG, with orange and jasmine-like aromas, and wine and honey-like sensations.

Catuai is also an Arabica hybrid variety, a cross between Mundo Novo and Caturra. It has relatively good resistance to natural disasters, especially wind and rain. It inherits Caturra's advantage of low plant height, correcting Mundo Novo's shortcomings. Another advantage is its solid fruit set, making it less likely to fall off in strong winds, compensating for Arabica's delicate nature. However, its overall flavor performance is more monotonous than Caturra and also more monotonous than Mundo Novo, lacking body, which is its greatest regret. Additionally, its fruit growth and harvesting lifespan is only about ten years, making its short lifespan another weakness.

04 | Roasting Analysis

This FrontStreet Coffee Panama Hartmann Estate coffee has relatively small beans with slightly higher density and moderate moisture content. The roasting target is light-to-medium roast. Unlike other FrontStreet Coffee Panama beans which are medium-roasted, this FrontStreet Coffee Hartmann wine process uses light-to-medium roast to preserve excellent acidity, tropical fruit flavors, and wine-like fermentation notes, presenting an overall sweet and sour, round, fresh, and elegant profile.

In the first batch of roasting, the drop temperature was relatively high, with an entry temperature of 200°C and relatively high heat. During the roasting process, it was found that although this FrontStreet Coffee Panama Hartmann bean's altitude is not particularly high, the bean density is relatively hard. Therefore, a roasting method of gradually reducing heat and stable development was adopted. Heat was reduced at yellowing point, dehydration completion, and first crack onset respectively to avoid surface scorching, and the beans were dropped between dense first crack and before first crack completion, shortening the caramelization reaction time to preserve flavor clarity and floral-fruit aromas.

Roaster: Yangjia 600g Semi-direct Heat

Preheat to 200°C, air damper at 3. After 30s, adjust heat to 170°C, air damper unchanged. Return to temperature at 1'39", maintain heat. At 4'57", bean surface turns yellow, grassy aroma completely disappears, entering dehydration stage, heat reduced to 130°C, air damper maintained at 3.5.

At 8'00", dehydration completed, heat reduced to 80°C. At 8'00", bean surface shows ugly wrinkles and black spots, toast aroma clearly transforms to coffee aroma, which can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this time, listen carefully for the first crack sound. First crack begins at 8'43", heat reduced to 60°C, air damper fully opened to 5 (heat adjustment must be very careful, not so low that crack sounds disappear). Development after first crack for 1'43", drop at 195.5°C.

FrontStreet Coffee Panama Hartmann Estate Wine Process Cupping Report

Dry Aroma: Ripe orange, jasmine hints

Wet Aroma: Winey, honey-like

Flavor: Smooth entry, lively and bright acidity, soft acidity, rich layers

Finish: Red wine aftertaste, honey, sucrose flavors obvious, brown sugar flavor when completely cooled.

05 | Brewing Analysis

【FrontStreet Coffee · Panama Hartmann Estate】

Brewing Method

Dripper: V60

Dose: 15g

Brewing Ratio: 1:15

Water Temperature: 90°C

Grind Size: Medium-fine (sugar size)

Grinder: Fuji Royal R-440
Grind Size: 3.5
Dose: 15g
Dripper: V60
Water Temperature: 90°C
Bloom: 30g water for 30s
Second Pour: 75g
Third Pour: 120g
Total Time: 2:00
Total Water: 225g

Sweetness: ☆☆☆
Acidity: ☆☆
Bitterness: ☆☆

This FrontStreet Coffee Panama Hartmann coffee bean has a relatively rich body with noticeable sweet and sour sensations. It enters smoothly with a strong wine-like mouthfeel, high sweetness, lively and bright acidity, soft acidity, rich layers. Tropical fruit, nuts, red wine aftertaste, honey, and sucrose flavors are obvious, with brown sugar flavor when completely cooled.

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