Where Does Elida Coffee Come From and How Are Beans Graded?

Elida coffee comes from the Boquete region of Chiriqui Province, Panama, an area near the Baru Volcano with a microclimate suited to specialty coffee. While Panama is known for Geisha, Elida's Typica is also noteworthy, with ripe tropical fruit, strawberry, black plum, apricot, and a fruity wine fermentation note.

Typica is a tall Arabica variety whose lineage runs from Yemen to Java, and it spread across Java in the early 18th century. The Panama Boquete Elida lot is graded SHB, medium roasted, naturally processed, and sold in 227 gram bags. Baru Volcano stands above 3,400 meters and supports seven microclimate zones.

Panama coffee is world-famous for Geisha, but Elida Estate's Typica is equally stunning. This article will guide you through the origins of Elida coffee, explain the grading standards for Panamanian coffee beans, and delve into the characteristics and flavors of the Typica variety. From the microclimate of the Boquete region to the meticulous processing at Elida Estate, and then to Front Street Coffee's brewing recommendations, one article will help you understand the essence of Panamanian specialty coffee.

For professional barista exchange, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style)

Flavor description: ripe tropical fruits, strawberry aroma, black plum, apricot, white peach, longan, and a rich fruity wine fermentation note.

Factory name: Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee)

Net content: 227g

Packaging method: bulk

Roast level of coffee beans: roasted coffee beans

Contains sugar: no sugar

Origin: Panama

Roast level: medium roast

Typica belongs to the tall-growing cultivated varieties within the Arabica species. Its lineage can be traced back to the region from Yemen to Java, and it gradually spread across the island of Java in the early 18th century.

As the oldest native variety of Ethiopia, all Arabica coffee is derived from Typica. Typica's top leaves are bronze-colored, and the bean shape is oval or slender and pointed; the flavor is elegant, but the plant itself is relatively weak, has poor disease resistance, and low fruit yield. Front Street Jamaica Blue Mountain, Front Street Indonesia Sumatra Mandheling, Front Street Hawaii Kona, and other outstanding estate beans all belong to the Typica family.

Its plant is very similar to what we now call Java. The young leaves are bronze-colored, and both the fruit and seeds are relatively large, yet the yield is very limited, making it susceptible to attacks from various major pests and diseases.

Panama Boquete Elida Typica Natural

Product name: Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) Panama Boquete Elida Estate Natural Typica

Country: Panama

Grade: SHB

Region: Boquete

Roast level: medium roast

Processing method: natural

Variety: Typica

Flavor: rich tropical fruits, strawberry notes, black plum

Baru Volcano is a young active volcano with an altitude of over 3,400 meters. Seven different microclimate zones surround it, nurturing a rich and diverse ecosystem. Diverse microclimates have both advantages and disadvantages for coffee cultivation, but as far as Elida is concerned, its flavor is more intense than most Panamanian beans, and its aroma is more prominent. The lingering finish of black berries and the ever-changing mouthfeel are precisely the main reasons gourmets love it.

However, the high-altitude terrain also brings challenges. Taking Elida as an example, the average altitude for coffee cultivation exceeds 1,700 meters. The high terrain plus low nighttime temperatures mean that after sowing, coffee must wait five years before harvest, making the waiting period quite long. Once the harvest period begins, the coffee ripening period often exceeds one month. If typhoons, heavy rain, or other force majeure events occur before ripening, even though it is known that major losses will result, in order to uphold quality, not harvesting early leads to a sharp reduction in yield, with risks far higher than at low-altitude estates.

Hand-brewed Front Street Panama Elida. 15g coffee powder, medium grind (Fuji Ghost Tooth burr grinder setting 4), V60 dripper, 88-89°C water temperature. First pour 30g of water and bloom for 27 seconds, then pour until the water reaches 105g and stop. Wait for the water level in the coffee bed to drop to half before pouring again. Slowly pour until the total water reaches 225g, discard the final segment. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:00.

Panama coffee became widely famous because of Hacienda La Esmeralda's Geisha, and the region where Hacienda La Esmeralda is located is also quite renowned, namely the Boquete region in Chiriqui Province. Boquete is a town in Chiriqui Province, located near the border between Panama and Costa Rica, adjacent to the famous Baru Volcano, with beautiful scenery and fertile soil. Both the climate and soil conditions are very suitable for producing high-quality coffee.

Since 2006, Elida's selected lots have been included among the Best of Panama winning lots year after year, and prices have risen annually. Among estates in various Central American countries, Elida can be considered the most representative of a "Kenyan blackberry fruit profile." Its black berries and long-lasting complex fruit flavors often draw unstinting praise. What judges also flock to is Elida's unique "savory deliciousness," a term derived from "Umami." At present, many experts include "umami" among the five basic tastes (sour, sweet, bitter, salty, umami). Umami works similarly to MSG. Foods used to enhance freshness or make stock, such as dried shiitake mushrooms, aged cheese, and kombu, all reveal the presence of umami. Umami in coffee is related to a good "aftertaste." For example, a long and pleasant finish after slurping is also a perception of savory deliciousness.

The equipment, utensils, and processing steps at the Elida processing station are all meticulous in every detail. Generally speaking, if coffee cherries that have undergone post-processing to a certain stage have a moisture content exceeding 20% for a prolonged period, not only are the high-quality components within the coffee cherries easily lost, but there is also the possibility of developing off-flavors. In addition, because the Elida processing station is still at a high altitude, it has dedicated processing equipment to control the temperature and timing during drying. This must all be controlled just right, and it is also an important key step affecting quality.

This lot of Front Street Panama Elida uses the natural processing method, and the variety is the classic Typica. Typica: Ethiopia's oldest native variety, originating from Ethiopia and southeastern Sudan. All Arabica is derived from Typica. The flavor is elegant, but the plant is relatively weak, has poor disease resistance, and low fruit yield.

More than half of Elida Estate is located within the protected area of Panama's national park, making it a rare ultra-high-altitude estate in Central America. Depending on terrain feasibility, coffee is planted from 1,700 meters to nearly 2,000 meters, and it is famous for a core flavor profile of "intensity and savoriness."

Elida Estate belongs to its owner Wilford Lamastus. Three varieties are planted on the estate, including Typica, Geisha, and Catuai. These varieties are cultivated as seedlings in the nursery area. The scenery along the way to the estate is beautiful. By the time you reach 1,700 meters, the air becomes chilly, like walking in high mountains, enjoying a forest bath and breathing very fresh air. The terrain at 2,000 meters on the estate is quite steep. After crossing the ridge line and arriving at the saddle, it unexpectedly becomes flat open ground, and the terrain can shelter it from the howling mountain wind. Wilford says this is the most suitable place to grow Geisha!

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.