How Does Processing Change Panamanian Geisha Flavor?

Panamanian Geisha from Janson Estate tastes noticeably different depending on how it is processed. In a cupping of the #364 natural Geisha from the Los Alpes plot at 1,700 meters, the natural method produced fermented wine aroma, grape juice, berries, prunes, dried fruit and pineapple. Washed lots from the same variety, by contrast, tend to show a cleaner, more delicate floral and fruity profile.

The estate has appeared on a reliable of Panama winners' list every year since first entering in 2013, which keeps its Geisha coffee in demand among competitors and roasters. Janson Farms is a three-generation family operation that moved from dairy farming into coffee cultivation, and it manages the Lagunas and Los Alpes plots with an ecological focus that shapes the cup.

Panama's Janson Estate is a frequent name on the BOP winners' list, and its Geisha coffee is renowned for its delicate and complex floral and fruity aromas. This article starts with a lot of Janson natural Geisha #364 batch from Front Street Coffee, and through cupping, provides a detailed comparison of the flavor differences brought by natural and washed processing methods. At the same time, it delves into the century-old family history of Janson Estate's transition from the dairy business to coffee cultivation, analyzes the terroir characteristics of the Lagunas and Los Alpes plots, and the estate's unique approach to ecological protection and meticulous management. Whether you are a Geisha enthusiast or a coffee professional, you can gain comprehensive knowledge and brewing suggestions about this top-tier Panamanian Geisha.

Front Street Coffee: Panama Janson Estate #364 Natural Geisha Country: Panama Region: Volcan Region, Janson Estate Plot: Los Alpes Plot Altitude: 1700 meters Variety: Geisha Processing Method: Natural

Flavor: Grape juice, berries, fermented wine aroma, prunes, dried fruit, pineapple

Panamanian Geisha typically has a delicate and multi-layered floral and fruity profile. In order to fully showcase the characteristics of this Janson natural Geisha, the Front Street roaster selected a medium-light roast profile. After four days of degassing and resting, Front Street couldn't wait to cup this bean for tasting.

Dry aroma: Fermented wine aroma, raisins, cherries, Wet aroma: Liqueur chocolate, cranberries

Flavor: Pineapple, fermented notes, ripe fruits, dried fruit, elegant floral aroma, berries, grape juice

Janson Farms has been on the Best of Panama (BOP) winners' list every year since its first participation in 2013, making it a truly treasure-tier estate. In recent years, Janson Farms has not only secured its place at the forefront of Panamanian Geisha with excellent coffee quality, but also won the favor of many professional competitors with its delicate flavor spectrum, often selected as exhibition beans, making the name "Janson Farms" frequently appear in international competitions. Next, Front Street takes everyone to explore this famous Panamanian Geisha estate.

Janson Farms is a three-generation family farm whose history can be traced back to the early twentieth century. In 1926, a 21-year-old Swedish young man named Carl Axel Janson came to Panama and was quickly attracted by the unique natural scenery and pleasant climate. Already yearning for a pastoral life, he moved his family, including his wife Margaret, to the highlands of Volcan in Chiriqui Province, bought a cattle farm, and started a dairy business.

By the mid-1980s, Carl and his family, with the assistance of agricultural experts, evaluated the farm and discovered that the volcanic soil, altitude, and climate here were very suitable for growing coffee. In 1989, the elder Janson and his sons (Michael, Carl, Ricardo, and Peter) co-founded what is now the award-winning Janson Coffee, formally entering the coffee industry. As farm facilities gradually improved, in 1993 they built a processing plant specifically designed for specialty coffee, exploring every aspect of coffee from seed selection, seedling cultivation, planting, harvesting, to post-processing, step by step.

In 2003, Hacienda La Esmeralda made its name, and T2722 Geisha became a hot variety in Panama, with coffee farmers rushing to plant it, and the Janson family was no exception. At that time, the second-generation estate owners who had taken over the farm began introducing green-tip Geisha to their own plantations, laying the groundwork for later joining the ranks of famous Panamanian estates. Currently, this estate, which has been involved with coffee for over thirty years, grows varieties including Geisha, as well as Catuai, Caturra, Pacamara, and others.

Janson Estate is located near the Talamanca Mountain in the westernmost part of Panama, and has two coffee-growing areas: Hacienda las Lagunas and Los Alpes, situated on the high-altitude slopes of Volcan Tisingal and Volcan Baru respectively.

The Lagunas plot is located west of Volcan Baru and is named after the nearby lakes. It has both fertile volcanic soil and multiple natural springs irrigating the crops, with coffee trees mostly planted at altitudes of 1350-1400 meters.

The Los Alpes plot is near the northwest side of Volcan Baru, located on the edge of Volcan Tisingal in the higher-altitude Talamanca Mountain range, bordering Panama's La Amistad International Park, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Nature Reserve. With inherent advantages such as ocean warm currents, springs, wetlands, and volcanic soil, this virgin forest has become an important habitat for various birds and wildlife, and has also created an ideal growing environment for Geisha.

When collecting information, Front Street discovered that unlike famous Panamanian estates such as Hacienda La Esmeralda and Elida, Janson Estate not only operates livestock and coffee cultivation but is also a hospitable tourist destination. Here, you can explore everything about coffee, as well as go boating on the lake near the farm and horseback riding on the beautiful slopes. The Janson family has also opened a Janson Coffee Shop specifically for tourists. Just imagine, who wouldn't want a four-dollar Janson Geisha?

Front Street noticed that the Janson family logo design is very minimalist, using just a few lines to fully convey the most representative information: virgin forest and wild bird habitat. Whether in farm management or the specialty coffee sector, the Janson family always adheres to the philosophy of "quality production, harmonious development," and especially in nature and water resource protection, Carl and his family are industry models.

To resist pest invasion while protecting the plants and animals that depend on the area for survival, the Janson family separates virgin forest from plantations and focuses on avoiding the use of pesticides, insecticides, and herbicides, instead relying on enzyme microorganisms to maintain soil nutrient balance. In addition, the estate uses solar energy and recycled water to provide reusable resources for coffee processing, and the pulp and mucilage from washed processing are converted into fertilizer for coffee trees through organic treatment.

Like many famous Panamanian estates, half of the coffee trees at Janson are Geisha variety. Each batch released by the Janson family has a numerical number, which is an independent batch number established by the estate owners to achieve full traceability of each batch of beans, using meticulous management. The Janson Geisha lot #364 that Front Street obtained this year comes from the Los Alpes plot and is processed using the natural method.

Typically, most farms transport coffee cherries in ordinary burlap sacks after harvesting, but Janson Estate uses crates to minimize the risk of fruit compression and juice loss. After harvesting, the cherries are first sorted, then spread on drying nets to sun-dry. After about 27-30 days, once the moisture content of the fruit drops to around 12%, they are hulled and then sent to the warehouse for storage until export.

To provide the best resting space for coffee cherries, the Janson family also added a temperature- and humidity-controlled green bean warehouse to the processing plant, while closely monitoring the pH value of the coffee cherries to ensure consistency in each batch.

Taking advantage of the new harvest season, Front Street also obtained a Geisha batch from this famous estate. The natural processing gives the coffee beans a more delicate and rich fruity acidity and floral aroma.

Front Street Brewing Suggestions

Dripper: V60 Water temperature: 92-93 degrees Celsius Coffee dose: 15g Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15 Grind size: fine granulated sugar size (78% passing through a No. 20 sieve)

Three-stage pouring: First, wet the coffee bed with twice the amount of water as coffee grounds to form a dome and bloom for 30 seconds; then pour in a slow circular motion from inside to outside until 125g, pause, wait for the coffee bed to drop to half the dripper's height, continue pouring the third stage with the same slow stream until 225g, until all coffee liquid has filtered through, remove the dripper. Total time is about 2 minutes.

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