How do you pull an SOE shot from the geisha coffee variety for a latte?
An SOE latte with Gesha Village Red Label starts with espresso pulled from the single lot, not a blend, then combined with steamed milk. The Red Label natural process brings citrus aromatics and honeyed sweetness that carry through milk. The beans trace back to Ethiopia's forests, reached Panama, and drew wide attention after 2004, when the variety began winning competitions and commanding rising prices.
Gesha Village Estate is organized into plots with its own grading system, and Red Label lots sit lower in that structure than the top tiers while keeping the variety's character. For the drink, pull a short, focused shot with a moderate ratio, then steam milk to a glossy microfoam and pour. Other origins, including Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Jamaica, now also release specialty Gesha lots.
Geisha has been incredibly popular in recent years, and can be considered a top-tier variety in the coffee world. Since it was discovered in the primitive forests of Ethiopia, it made its way to Panama, and after its stunning debut in 2004, it has continuously won competitions and its price has repeatedly reached new highs. Geisha is often described as having citrus aromas and honeyed notes, refreshing the heart, and many people want to buy beans and recreate it at home after trying it. Recently, a customer asked Front Street how to make an SOE latte using Geisha Village Red Label beans. This article will first introduce you to this Geisha Village Red Label bean—from the origin and rise to fame of Geisha, to the history, plot divisions, and grading system of Geisha Village Estate, then to the flavor characteristics of Red Label natural process, and finally share in detail Front Street's SOE extraction parameters and latte-making steps, so you can also make an outstanding Geisha SOE latte at home.
In recent years, Geisha's popularity has never faded, and it can be called the top star of the coffee world. Since it was discovered in the primitive forests of Ethiopia, it traveled all the way to take root in Panama in Central America. After being rediscovered in 2004, it repeatedly won championships in major international competitions, and its price broke records again and again, sweeping through the entire specialty coffee circle. When it comes to Geisha, people often describe it as having refreshing citrus aromas and honeyed notes. Almost everyone who has tried it is deeply impressed and wants to buy beans to brew at home. For example, recently a customer came to ask Front Street how to make an SOE latte with Geisha Village Red Label coffee beans. Before answering, let's first learn what kind of coffee Geisha Village Red Label actually is.
What exactly is the background of Geisha?
When mentioning the origin of Geisha, Front Street first thinks of Panama, where it became famous, and Ethiopia, its place of origin. These two are undoubtedly the most representative producing regions for Geisha. As the Geisha trend continues to heat up, many coffee-producing countries have also successively launched specialty-grade Geisha lots, such as Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and even the famous Jamaica Blue Mountain released a small batch of natural Geisha in 2020. Front Street's bean list also keeps different Geisha options for everyone. However, if you are trying this famous variety for the first time, Front Street suggests starting with the two producing regions of Panama and Ethiopia.
In 1931, the Geisha variety was first discovered in the Geisha area of Ethiopia, and was subsequently introduced and planted by countries such as Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Costa Rica for research and to enrich local varieties. In 1963, Panama introduced more varieties from various places to revitalize its coffee industry. Pachi Serracin, the old estate owner of Hacienda La Esmeralda, brought Geisha back from Costa Rica, and only then did Geisha formally take root in Panama.
It was not until 2000 that Daniel Peterson, the third-generation owner of Hacienda La Esmeralda, discovered Geisha's uniqueness and transplanted it to a higher altitude for cultivation. In 2004, high-altitude Geisha finally reached mass production. Hacienda La Esmeralda sent it to that year's Best of Panama BOP and won first place, gaining great fame from then on. Its elegant jasmine, peach, and bergamot flavors have lingered in the memories of countless coffee lovers. However, besides Panama, in Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee, there is also an estate named for producing Geisha—Gesha Village.
Gesha Village Estate
In 2011, Adam followed consultant Willem Boot to "explore" the forests around the estate. In a jungle magically wrapped by dense forest, they discovered many wild tree species, and among them the most surprising was wild Geisha. Only later did they learn that this was the Gori Gesha forest, the place where the Geisha coffee variety was originally discovered.
They collected seeds from native Geisha trees, carefully selected them, and sent them to professional institutions for genetic testing, confirming that this was the original collection site of the Panama Geisha variety. Subsequently, by studying the plant morphology of the coffee trees, the appearance and size of the coffee beans, and combining cupping results, they selected the Geisha variety closest to today's Panama Geisha and began raising seedlings. From then on, the story of Gesha Village Estate began on this land in Ethiopia.
Gesha Village is located in a high-altitude area with abundant rainfall, possessing a temperate climate and various key natural conditions needed to produce high-quality coffee. But unlike many estates in Panama, Gesha Village has a total of 3 Geisha varieties: Gori Gesha, Gesha 1931, and Illubabor Forest. In addition, to ensure the quality of the coffee produced by the estate, owner Adam also established a strict grading system, dividing Geisha into different grades such as Gold Label, Red Label, Green Label, and CHAKA. The several coffees on Front Street's bean list are all natural process lots.
From the estate owner's plot divisions, it can be seen that the western part of Gesha Village is planted at higher altitudes, especially the three plots OMA, SURMA, and SHEWA-JIBABU, with altitudes between 1900-2069 meters, among which SHEWA-JIBABU has the highest average altitude. The southern part of the estate has a relatively higher shade ratio, while the northern part has longer sunlight hours. Among the estate's eight plots, Adam selected the most suitable variety for each plot based on microclimate differences such as altitude, soil, and shade conditions, aiming to give each plot different coffee flavor characteristics.
What are the characteristics of Natural Gesha Village Red Label?
With its exceptional geographical advantages, the main processing method at Gesha Village is natural. The harvest season at Gesha Village is from December to March of the following year, which happens to be the dry season in the region with very little rainfall. The estate can make full use of this natural drying method to process coffee beans. Gesha Village's traditional natural method is to spread freshly harvested coffee cherries evenly on traditional African raised drying beds to receive sunlight evenly. During this period, they need to be turned irregularly to avoid excessive fermentation that would give the coffee negative flavors. The drying cycle is about 21 to 40 days, and only after the moisture content drops to 12% are the dried beans hulled.
Unlike the Gold Label grade, Gesha Village Red Label accounts for 15% of total annual production. It uses the Gori Geisha variety and is a high-quality Geisha coffee with an SCA standard cupping score of 88 or above. Although its flavor intensity and complexity are not as great as Gold Label and competition lots, Red Label also has a very classic Gesha Village flavor profile. Front Street believes this is a Geisha lot with very high cost performance and worth buying for Geisha enthusiasts.
Front Street Coffee: Ethiopia · Gesha Village Estate Red Label Geisha
Region: Bench Maji, Ethiopia
Estate: Gesha Village Estate, Shewa-Jibabu plot
Altitude: 1973-2069 meters
Variety: Gori Geisha
Processing method: Natural process
Flavor: Lemon, plum, citrus, tropical fruit, floral tea
Gesha Village SOE extraction parameters sharing
No matter how coffee beans are extracted, Front Street believes freshness is crucial. If beans with a roast date more than one month ago are used, some of the aroma may already have been lost, and unpleasant woody notes may also appear. Front Street hopes every customer who places an order can taste the coffee's aroma within the best flavor period, so only beans freshly roasted within 5 days are shipped. To make SOE coffee with better flavor, Front Street recommends using freshly roasted single-origin coffee beans.
Coffee beans: Ethiopia · Huakui 8.0
Coffee powder dose: 20g
Coffee liquid yield: 40g
Powder-to-liquid ratio: 1:2
Extraction time: 26-32 seconds
Grind setting: Galileo 2.0
The coffee machine used by Front Street has a double basket capacity, requiring 20 grams of coffee powder each time, with an extraction ratio of 1:2, meaning 40 grams of coffee liquid is produced within a reasonable time. Extraction time is related to the flow rate of the coffee powder. Generally, a single extraction is controlled between 20 and 35 seconds: less than 20 seconds makes the coffee easy to taste thin and weak, while more than 35 seconds makes it easy to over-extract and cause burnt bitterness. Therefore, when producing, Front Street controls the espresso time within the range of 26 to 32 seconds.
Before extraction, wipe the basket dry, turn on the grinder to grind a double dose of coffee powder, and place it on an electronic scale to measure and adjust until it reaches 20 grams. Then use a distribution tool to level the coffee powder, and then use a tamper to press vertically downward with force to compact the coffee puck, ensuring more stable extraction.
Then turn on the extraction switch and let water run for 1 to 2 seconds to moisten the group head, while also rinsing away stuck coffee grounds. Place an electronic scale under the cup for Espresso and tare it to zero, then place it together under the group head during extraction.
Gently lock the portafilter onto the group head and turn on the extraction switch. Observe the changes in the extracted liquid. When the electronic scale shows 40 grams of coffee liquid and the time is about 30 seconds, turn off the extraction switch. Brewing parameters will change subtly with daily air humidity and the condition of the coffee beans, so it is necessary to adjust the coffee powder dose, grind setting, and coffee liquid yield up or down.
The extracted Geisha SOE can be drunk directly. Remember to pair it with a glass of water to rinse your mouth, so you can taste the dense crema and the rich tropical fruit aroma of the coffee liquid underneath. If you cannot accept espresso's intense bitterness, you can also follow your preference by adding ice water or warm water at a 1:4 ratio to make a refreshing SOE Geisha Americano; or add steamed fresh milk at a 1:6 ratio to soften the mouthfeel, making a delicious SOE Geisha latte.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
