What Makes Geisha Coffee Beans From Guarumo Stand Out?

Guarumo Coffee Farm won the Natural Geisha category at the 2022 Panama BOP competition. The four-hectare estate sits in the Santa Clara region of Chiriquí Province, Panama, north of Hartmann Estate, and was bought in 2013 by Ratibor Hartmann, the family's third-generation manager. Its Geisha trees grow above 1,750 meters.

The Geisha coffee beans from this farm show layers of mango, pineapple, white floral notes and malty fermented sweetness. Brewing centers on grind size, water temperature and a three-pour technique, which together bring out the light-roast character and the high-altitude terroir of the Hartmann family estate.

In the 2022 26th Panama BOP competition, the champion of the Natural Geisha category was won by Guarumo Coffee Farm. This mini farm, purchased in 2013 by the third-generation manager of the Hartmann family, covers only four hectares, yet has demonstrated astonishing strength for many consecutive years. The 2022 new-crop Natural Geisha acquired by Front Street Coffee, though not the competition batch, similarly carries the estate's high-altitude terroir and light-roast craftsmanship. This article will guide you through the history of Guarumo Coffee Farm and the Hartmann family's coffee lineage, and provide a detailed breakdown of this champion bean's flavor profile and brewing parameters—from grind size and water temperature to the three-pour technique—fully presenting its layers of mango, pineapple, white floral notes, and malty fermented sweetness.

Guarumo Coffee Farm, also known as Guarumo Coffee Estate, is located in the Santa Clara region of Chiriquí Province, Panama, situated to the north of Hartmann Estate. This small estate was purchased in 2013 by Ratibor Hartmann, the third-generation manager of the Hartmann family, with a total area of just four hectares. The coffee variety cultivated on the farm is Geisha, planted at an altitude exceeding 1,750 meters.

The Hartmann family's history in Panama is nothing short of an immigration saga spanning Europe and the Americas. The family ancestor, Alois Strasil Hartmann, was born in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, in what is now the Czech Republic. Affected by the political turmoil of the time, he resolved to travel abroad in search of a new life. Alois first arrived in New York, USA, then made his way to Panama, but after living there for several months, he found it difficult to adapt to the urban pace of Panama City.

An adventurous spirit always ran in his blood. Shortly after resigning from his job, he traveled along the mountain range to the Volcán region, where he worked and settled, and married his first wife, Susana Troetsch, giving birth to the founder of Hartmann Estate, Hartmann Troetsch. From 1940 onward, Hartmann Troetsch inherited his father's land and began clearing and cultivating it, thus beginning the Hartmann Estate's legacy that continues to this day.

The first generation of the Hartmann family, Alois Strasil Hartmann, initially established coffee plantations in Panama's Volcán region. By the second generation, Hartmann Troetsch, coffee cultivation was relocated to the Santa Clara region, and Hartmann Estate was formally established.

In the early days of cultivation, Hartmann Troetsch decided to preserve most of the estate's original forest. This philosophy of native forest conservation deeply influenced the third-generation estate owner Ratibor Hartmann, who now manages the farm. Hartmann Estate continues this tradition to this day, with coffee cultivation occupying only about 20% of the entire estate. Thanks to this, the estate is home to a large number of native birds, and the most well-known local bird, the toucan, naturally became the estate's logo.

In addition to managing their own estate, the Hartmann family also provides management services for surrounding estates. For example, Ninety Plus's estate in Panama and Finca La Mula are both managed by the Hartmann family on behalf of their owners.

Although Guarumo is a new estate for the Hartmann family, it is not the first time it has won the BOP championship. In 2020, the estate's Natural Geisha won over a group of judges with its captivating flavors of jasmine, rose, champagne, candy, and bergamot.

Since the estate had previously done little promotion, that year Guarumo Coffee Farm burst onto the public scene like a dark horse. This year, Guarumo Coffee Farm's Natural Geisha once again demonstrated its strength, claiming the championship in the Natural Geisha category at the 26th BOP competition.

The Guarumo Coffee Farm Natural Geisha coffee beans acquired by Front Street Coffee, though not the competition batch, are also from the 2022 new crop season. To preserve the captivating tropical fruit and floral notes of this Natural Geisha, Front Street Coffee chose a light roast profile.

Through cupping comparison, this Guarumo Coffee Farm naturally processed Geisha, when ground, presents dry aromas of mango and strawberry; upon slurping, it reveals mango, pineapple, white floral notes, fruit candy, and a malty fermented sweetness (similar to beer). The overall layering is remarkably full.

Since this Guarumo Natural Geisha is grown at a high altitude, the coffee beans have a relatively high density, and the light roast did not significantly alter their density. Therefore, a medium-fine grind (78% passing through a Chinese No. 20 standard sieve) and a higher water temperature can be used for extraction and brewing.

Front Street Coffee pour-over parameters recommendation: V60 dripper or conical dripper, 15 grams of coffee grounds, 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, fine granulated sugar coarseness or medium-fine grind (78% passing through a Chinese No. 20 standard sieve), water temperature 90 to 91°C.

Pair with a three-pour circular pouring technique: first, use 30 grams of water to fully saturate the coffee bed into a "hamburger" shape, let it bloom for 30 seconds, then proceed to the second pour; for the second pour, Front Street uses a steady medium-fine stream, pouring in circles until reaching 125 grams, then pauses; when the water level drops to 2/3 of the coffee bed, pour the third segment; for the third pour, continue with a medium-fine stream in circles until reaching 225 grams, then stop pouring. Total extraction time is 2 minutes 18 seconds.

Front Street Coffee Guarumo Coffee Farm Natural Geisha coffee flavor profile: on the entry, it offers the aroma and sweet-tartness of a blended mango-pineapple juice; the mid-palate reveals white floral notes and a malty fermented sweetness; the finish is like fruit candy.

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