Flavor Characteristics, Grind Settings, Taste Profile, Processing Methods, and Origin of Geisha Coffee

Geisha Variety

The Geisha variety originates from Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee. It was discovered in the Geisha forest of Ethiopia in 1931 and sent to the Kenyan Coffee Research Institute. It was subsequently introduced to countries including Uganda, Tanzania, and Costa Rica, before being brought to Panama in 1970. Initially, Geisha's cultivation in Panama received little attention. Due to its inability to achieve mass production, it was even used as windbreak trees. It wasn't until the owner of Hacienda La Esmeralda separated it and entered it into the Best of Panama competition, winning the 2004 BOP championship, that Geisha gained widespread recognition.

Geisha coffee trees have high requirements for their growing environment. They need high altitudes, cloud cover or plant shade, and cannot be exposed to direct sunlight. Additionally, they require fertile soil. Geisha grown at higher altitudes has a longer maturation period for the coffee cherries, resulting in more complex and unique flavor profiles.

Unlike other coffee varieties, Geisha coffee trees have a very thin leaf system, meaning their photosynthesis efficiency is quite low. Their root systems are also fragile, with slow absorption of water and nutrients. Consequently, coffee production is very low. Combined with the high-altitude growing environment, the cherries also mature later. A Geisha coffee tree produces only half the yield of a Catura tree, which is one of the reasons why Geisha is so precious.

Currently, Geisha is cultivated in many regions worldwide and has become the new king of specialty coffee. Among these, Latin American countries such as Panama, Guatemala, and Colombia produce particularly high-quality Geisha, with Panamanian Geisha standing out as the finest in the specialty coffee world.

Panamanian Geisha

Panama is located in the southernmost part of Central America, with coffee cultivation mainly distributed in the western regions near Costa Rica and the Pacific coast. Panama is roughly divided into four producing regions, with the Boquete region in Chiriquí Province being the most famous. This area is close to the Barú Volcano and has fertile volcanic soil. The unique microclimate in the mountains gives the coffee here its characteristic aromatic qualities, sweet and sour notes of ripe fruits, and a long-lasting aftertaste.

The Hacienda La Esmeralda, which we often hear about, is located in the Boquete region. It can be said that without the efforts of Hacienda La Esmeralda, we wouldn't have the astonishing Geisha coffee we have today.

In 1964, the first-generation owner of Hacienda La Esmeralda, Rudolph A. Peterson, purchased a farm in Boquete, primarily operating a dairy business. In 1973, his son Price Peterson resigned from his doctoral position to assist his father in managing the farm. He introduced Catura and Catuai coffee varieties and established a wet processing mill, officially beginning to produce coffee beans.

Hacienda La Esmeralda has three farms growing Geisha varieties: El Velo, Cañas Verdes, and Jaramillo. Among these, the highest quality batches of Geisha come from Cañas Verdes and Jaramillo.

After acquiring the Jaramillo farm with its superior environment, third-generation owner Daniel Peterson discovered through cupping that the Geisha coffee beans had exceptionally unique flavors. He then conducted cupping tests on other areas of the farm, comparing and recording the flavors of different batches. After years of experimentation, it was discovered that only Geisha grown above 1,400 meters altitude would develop the distinctive flavors. The Peterson family divided the growing plots according to altitude, which is why we now have the well-known Red Label, Green Label, and Blue Label classifications.

The Red Label represents Esmeralda Special, Geisha coffee grown between 1,600-1,800 meters altitude with cupping scores exceeding 90 points. It is also the highest quality Geisha from Hacienda La Esmeralda. The Green Label, also known as Private Collection, is grown at the same altitude as the Red Label but contains mixed harvest batches without detailed plot markings, so its flavors sometimes resemble the Red Label's floral and fruity notes with sweet and sour juice sensations. The Blue Label consists of Geisha coffee grown at 1,400-1,500 meters altitude. Starting in 2021, the Blue Label series was discontinued, and Hacienda La Esmeralda began selling the Geisha from this region externally as Volcanic Geisha coffee beans.

It's worth noting that the Red Label in the Esmeralda Special series has a unique characteristic: all coffee beans in each batch come from the same plot. For example, the Red Label purchased by FrontStreet Coffee comes from the Jaramillo plot, which allows buyers to make detailed purchasing choices.

FrontStreet Coffee: Red Label Geisha Coffee Beans
Region: Boquete
Estate: Hacienda La Esmeralda, Cañas Verdes
Altitude: 1,700+ meters
Variety: Geisha
Processing: Natural Process
Flavor Notes: Citrus, Complex Fruits, Rose Tea, Honey

Of course, when it comes to high-quality Geisha, there are many other renowned estates on FrontStreet Coffee's menu worth trying. For example, Elida Estate, which has won multiple Best of Panama competitions, has also been added by FrontStreet Coffee to its regular offerings so that everyone can experience it.

Elida Estate has a century-long history of coffee cultivation, established in 1918 by the Lamastus family, with the estate now passed to its fourth-generation owners. More than half of Elida's growing area is located within the Barú Volcano National Park, the highest in Central America. The microclimate created by the volcano and the high-altitude growing environment allow plants to thrive. In addition to coffee, many rare high-altitude fruit varieties are also grown here.

The owners of Elida Estate have exceptionally high requirements for coffee harvesting and green bean processing. They only harvest the most mature coffee cherries, which have high sugar content in their mucilage layer, resulting in complex fruit acidity and sweetness in the flavor profile. This has also allowed Elida's Geisha to achieve excellent results in multiple competitions.

FrontStreet Coffee: Elida Estate Geisha Coffee Beans
Region: Boquete
Estate: Elida Estate
Altitude: 1,900 meters
Variety: Geisha
Processing: Anaerobic Fermentation Low-Temperature Slow Natural Process
Flavor Notes: Fermentation Aroma, Rose, Citrus, Green Tea, Cream, Nuts

Processing Methods

For high-quality Geisha coffee, estates in Panama typically use natural and washed processing methods after harvesting ripe coffee cherries.

Natural Process

The most mature coffee cherries undergo strict screening and are spread evenly on patios, not too thickly, requiring regular manual turning to maintain uniform slow drying. Because they are dried with the fruit pulp intact, the green coffee beans develop berry sweetness, with more intense floral and fruity aromas and a thicker, fuller mouthfeel.

Anaerobic Fermentation Low-Temperature Slow Natural Process

Additionally, there's a special processing method based on the natural process: Anaerobic Fermentation Low-Temperature Slow Natural Process (NATURAL-ASD). The Geisha produced by Elida Estate uses this processing method. The harvested coffee cherries are placed in sealed containers for 4-5 days of fermentation, then spread in thick layers on drying beds to dry slowly, allowing the coffee cherries to develop optimal flavors. Since the ASD processing method requires precise control over all details, it demands significant time and effort.

Washed Process

Before drying, the coffee cherries are depulped, and the mucilage layer adhering to the beans is removed through fermentation with acidic substances. The coffee beans have a cleaner surface, and the final coffee taste is fresher with brighter acidity. The washed process requires large amounts of clean water to wash the green coffee beans, making it relatively expensive.

Brewing Reference

After all this discussion, how can we brew a cup of Geisha coffee with excellent flavor? FrontStreet Coffee believes that freshly roasted coffee beans are the primary requirement. The aroma of coffee beans changes according to storage environment and time. Once past the optimal tasting period, the coffee's aroma will accelerate its loss. FrontStreet Coffee understands how important coffee freshness is, so all shipped coffee beans are freshly roasted within 5 days, ensuring they're ready for brewing when we receive them.

FrontStreet Coffee has found that some customers consider grinding coffee for pour-over coffee to be troublesome. If you don't have grinding equipment, FrontStreet Coffee provides grinding services both online and at physical stores. Since coffee beans release aroma more easily after being ground into powder, they should be consumed as soon as possible. If you want to experience the complete flavor of coffee, FrontStreet Coffee suggests equipping yourself with grinding tools for fresh grinding before brewing.

Regarding the choice of grind size for pour-over coffee, FrontStreet Coffee's brewing parameters are based on the Chinese standard sieve #20. For medium-light roast coffees like Geisha, an 80% pass-through rate is selected. Since the installation, usage, and maintenance status of each grinding equipment differ, even with the same setting, the coarseness of the coffee powder might vary. FrontStreet Coffee suggests, if possible, preparing a standard sieve to calibrate your grinding equipment, which allows for clearer adjustment of grinding parameters.

FrontStreet Coffee has chosen the most popular Hacienda La Esmeralda Red Label Geisha. Considering that Geisha coffee beans are lightly roasted and that lightly roasted beans have lower solubility than dark roasted ones, FrontStreet Coffee uses higher water temperatures for brewing to ensure full extraction of Geisha flavors, while also selecting a finer grind size.

Dripper: V60
Water Temperature: 90-91°C
Grind Size: 80% pass-through rate on standard #20 sieve
Coffee-to-Water Ratio: 1:15
Coffee Amount: 15 grams

Pour the coffee grounds into the V60 dripper and wet the coffee bed with twice the amount of water as the coffee grounds, forming a dome and allowing it to bloom for 30 seconds. Then, using a small water stream, pour in concentric circles from inside to out until reaching 125g, then segment. Wait until the coffee bed drops to half the height of the dripper, then continue with the same fine water stream to pour the third segment to 225g. Remove the dripper once all coffee liquid has filtered through, taking approximately 2 minutes.

The ground Red Label Geisha has captivating rose and citrus aromas. When tasted, it reveals berries, apricots, complex fruits, and honey, with a substantial juice sensation, rich flavor layers, and distinct sweetness.

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