How Did Geisha Coffee Spread From Ethiopia to Costa Rica?

Geisha was found in Ethiopia's Geisha forest in 1931, sent to the Kenya Coffee Research Institute, moved to Uganda and Tanzania in 1936, and reached Costa Rica in 1953. Don Pachi Serracin brought trees from Costa Rica to Panama in 1963. Costa Rica is therefore a key stop in the geisha coffe story before Panama made the variety famous.

The Mirazu Estate Strawberry Candy blend sits in Costa Rica's Tarrazu region at 1,700 meters. It combines 50 percent Geisha with ET47, SL28, and MAICO, processed as raisin honey. The cup shows jasmine florals, raisin sweetness, and strawberry gummy candy notes, and Front Street shares V60 pour-over parameters for brewing it.

Although Geisha coffee is famous for Panama, its seed source entered Central America through Costa Rica. This article traces the spread of Geisha from Ethiopia to Costa Rica and then to Panama, and focuses on the Costa Rica Mirazu Estate Strawberry Candy Geisha Blend introduced by Front Street Coffee. This blend consists of 50% Geisha and 50% ET47, SL28, and MAICO, undergoes raisin honey processing, and presents jasmine floral aroma, raisin sweetness, and strawberry gummy candy flavors. The article explains in detail the estate's variety background and processing method, and includes Front Street's V60 pour-over parameters and brewing technique, providing a complete reference for coffee enthusiasts.

When Geisha coffee is mentioned, most people first think of Panama. However, Panama's Geisha seed source was introduced from neighboring Costa Rica. So what are the characteristics of Geisha from these two producing regions? Front Street Coffee will compare Geisha from the two places.

Geisha was discovered in 1931 in the Geisha forest of Ethiopia, then sent to the Kenya Coffee Research Institute, introduced to Uganda and Tanzania in 1936, and entered Costa Rica in 1953. In 1963, Don Pachi Serracin brought Geisha trees from Costa Rica to Panama. Due to low yield and its impact on income, local coffee farmers were initially not very enthusiastic about planting it.

The turning point came at Hacienda La Esmeralda in Panama. The estate owner, Daniel Peterson, unexpectedly discovered that the coffee beans produced by the Geisha trees at the highest part of his estate, originally used as a windbreak, actually had the citrus and floral notes characteristic of African beans. So he separated them and entered the 2004 Panama coffee bean cupping competition, becoming famous overnight. After that, Geisha beans advanced irresistibly, winning the Panama coffee cupping competition championship for many consecutive years. In the minds of today's global specialty coffee enthusiasts, Geisha is undoubtedly a top treasure. So how does Geisha perform in Costa Rica, a stop on Geisha's path to fame?

Front Street Costa Rica Mirazu Estate Strawberry Candy Geisha Blend Region: Costa Rica Tarrazu Estate: Mirazu Estate Altitude: 1700m Varieties: Geisha, ET47, SL28, MAICO Processing method: Raisin honey processing

Mirazu Estate is located in Front Street Costa Rica's specialty coffee Tarrazu producing region. Tarrazu is located in the fertile volcanic zone of Central America, with a humid climate, fertile volcanic soil, abundant rainfall throughout the year, high altitude, and dense forests forming natural shade, creating superior conditions for coffee growth. Although there are many estates in the Tarrazu producing region, the subtle characteristics formed by each estate's microclimate, soil, and variety differences can be clearly presented. These wonders bestowed by nature are exactly what drives Front Street to continuously seek different coffee beans from the same producing region for comparison.

The estate owner, Esteban Sanches, graduated from the coffee department of the University of Costa Rica with a formal academic background and is highly scientific and experimental in spirit. On the one hand, the estate tries planting varieties such as ET47 Ethiopian heirloom and explores various processing methods; on the other hand, the small wet processing equipment at the estate's processing station was designed and assembled entirely by Esteban Sanches himself.

Coffee bean varieties Geisha, ET47, SL28, Maico

The Geisha variety should be familiar to everyone. It was initially collected from the Ethiopian coffee forest in the 1930s and brought to the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE) in Central America in 1953, recorded under number T2722. However, the plant's branches are fragile and easily broken, making it unpopular with farmers, so it was not widely planted.

ET47 is one of the leaf rust-resistant research varieties introduced by the Costa Rica Coffee Institute in the 1990s and was given to farmers in the Tarrazu producing region to plant. ET47 was numbered 47 in the laboratory because many varieties were introduced during the same period, most of which were distinguished and identified by numbers. After obtaining ET47, estate owner Esteban Sanche devoted himself to studying this variety. It can be said to be a complex combination carrying many excellent flavors, such as fruity sweetness, a rounded and clean mouthfeel, and elegant and pleasant acidity.

According to historical documents, a senior coffee official at the Scott Laboratories (A.D. Trench) noticed that a variety growing in the Modì area of Tanzania seemed tolerant to drought, disease, and pests. The seeds were collected and brought back to the Scott Laboratories, and their drought resistance was confirmed. In recent years, genetic testing has also confirmed that SL28 belongs to the Bourbon genetic group, so SL28 coffee beans are also close in appearance to the round, thick body of the Bourbon variety.

There is currently no officially published variety information for Maico. This Front Street Costa Rica Mirazu Strawberry Candy Geisha Blend coffee bean introduced by Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) is composed of 50% Geisha coffee beans and 50% ET47, SL28, and MAICO. The Geisha coffee beans provide jasmine aroma for this Front Street Mirazu Strawberry Candy, while the other varieties bring richer strawberry berry flavors, and the raisin honey processing method further enhances the sweetness of this Front Street Costa Rica Mirazu Strawberry Candy.

Processing method The raisin honey processing method retains 100% mucilage and uses zero-water processing. This practice increases the difficulty of honey processing and requires strict control of timing. The estate owner first screens the harvested coffee cherries, places the selected coffee cherries on raised beds to dry for at least three days, and then removes the skin. Interestingly, the depulper researched by the estate owner himself is unusual and can process two different kinds of beans at once.

After removing the skin, the mucilage is retained and then dried. At this stage, climatic factors are the key to the success or failure of honey processing. During drying, the coffee beans must be constantly turned to ensure even drying, but the turning frequency must be well controlled, drying slowly to ensure the coffee undergoes fermentation without drying too slowly and causing over-fermentation. Through cupping, Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) found that raisin honey processing, after retaining 100% mucilage for sun drying, gives the coffee full-bodied sweetness and also a fermented candied-fruit sweetness.

Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) Brewing Recommendation Dripper: V60# 01 Dose: 15g Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15 Water temperature: 90°C Grind size: medium-fine grind (80% passing through China standard No. 20 sieve)

Front Street brewing technique: First wet the filter paper, preheat the dripper and coffee pot. Use 30 grams of water for a 30-second bloom, then pour in a slow circular stream until 125 grams for a staged pour. When the water level is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring until 225 grams and stop. When the water level is about to expose the coffee bed, remove the dripper. (Starting timing from the beginning of the bloom) The extraction time is 2'01".

[Front Street Strawberry Candy Geisha Blend] Brewed flavor: jasmine aroma, raisin sweetness and strawberry gummy candy sweetness on the palate, with a nutty creamy mouthfeel.

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