Panamanian Nuguo Estate Pressure Anaerobic Fermented Gesha Coffee BeansCoffee Bean Intro:

Panamanian Nuguo Estate Pressure Anaerobic Fermented Gesha Coffee Beans

Origin: Volcán, Panama

Estate: Nuguo Estate

Elevation: 1700m-1900m

Variety: Gesha

Processing Method: Pressure Anaerobic Fermentation

Coffee Region

When it comes to Panama’s coffee heritage, most people are familiar with specialty coffee regions like Boquete. However, in recent years, the Volcán region has gradually emerged in the specialty market, with numerous estates even competing in and winning the Best of Panama competition. The Volcán region receives less annual rainfall than Boquete and is located on the western side of the Barú Volcano. Its geographical environment gives the coffee beans here a more intense dried fruit flavor, sweetness, and aroma compared to those from Boquete.

Nuguo Estate

Nuguo Estate (Finca Nuguo) is located in the Hulutung Valley ( A lto Jurutungo, meaning "a far and unreachable place") adjacent to La Amistad National Park. Thanks to its pristine natural environment, the estate is home to a diverse array of bird species. The Gallardo family named it Nuguo (which means "bird" in Spanish).

As one of the Gallardo Family’s most cherished micro-lots of Gesha, although production is limited each year, the coffee’s flavor is anything but limited. With an average elevation of 1700-1900 meters, the high altitude brings varied microclimates, abundant rainfall, and significant day-night temperature variations. The nutrient-rich volcanic soil and the excellent shade from the primary forest allow the Gesha coffee to develop a rich essence and complex flavors.

Gesha Coffee Variety

The Gesha (Geisha) coffee variety first gained fame at the 2004 BOP green bean competition, where Hacienda Esmeralda won the championship with an "unfamiliar coffee bean"—the Gesha. This coffee boasts fragrant white floral notes, delicate and elegant citrus acidity, and a sweet honey-like finish, sparking the desire among major specialty coffee-producing countries to grow Gesha.

According to years of research by coffee botanists, Panama’s Gesha originated from the Gesha Forest in Ethiopia, was later sent to the Kenya Coffee Research Laboratory, then traveled through Tanzania and Costa Rica, and was introduced to Panama in 1970. It was initially used by Hacienda Esmeralda as a windbreak border tree. Later, the estate owners discovered that the coffee produced by these border trees scored exceptionally well in cupping tests, leading to varietal separation and breeding. By 2004, it became world-renowned, and to this day, Gesha coffee remains highly prized for both its flavor and price.

Pressure Anaerobic Fermentation

The pressure anaerobic fermentation method has been experimented with by Nuguo Estate since 2018. Due to the challenging processing procedure, it underwent two years of continuous refinement and adjustments before pressure anaerobic fermented Gesha coffee beans were finally launched in 2020.

After harvest, the estate owner carefully selects the cherries and places the ripe ones in vacuum-sealed bags for 4-9 days. During this time, the coffee cherries undergo anaerobic fermentation, and the carbon dioxide produced causes the vacuum bags to inflate.

The fermented coffee cherries are then either sent for drying under controlled conditions (45% humidity, 24°C) for 4-8 weeks or left at the estate for sun drying (average estate temperature 16°C) for 21 days. Finally, the dried coffee beans are rested until 1-2 weeks before export, when they are hulled.

Upon receiving the green beans, Front Street detected sweet and sour floral-fruity aromas with hints of grassiness. To highlight the beans’ sweetness, acidity, and floral-fruity notes, Front Street opted for a medium-light roast, ending the roast during the first crack. Due to the high moisture content of the new-season green beans, the dehydration time between the turning point and the yellowing point was extended to ensure even heating of the Gesha beans’ surface and core.