There are several factors that go into making a great cup of coffee. When you peel back the layers of sophistication and process, all you’re left with is the most basic form of the item, which in this case is a bean.
There is one coffee bean that is known for its high quality.
Many people consider geisha coffee to be the best cup of coffee in the world. Geisha coffee beans were traditionally sourced from Ethiopia, but now they can be found in Asia, the Americas, and other regions of Africa. Coffee lovers are willing to spend a lot of money on good coffee.
The following article will explore the price and value of Geisha coffee in detail. Additionally, it provides in-depth data about these delectable coffee beans, where to track them down, the best way to brew them, and so forth.
This article is for coffee lovers.
Is Geisha Coffee Worth Trying?
It’s natural to be skeptical. While Geisha coffee does have a hypnotic aroma and an excellent finish, it’s not clear if it’s genuinely exceptional.
Why would anyone want to try a cup of coffee that costs an exorbitant amount of money, when there are plenty of other excellent coffees that are just as good?
Coffee brewed from Geisha beans is absolutely worth trying. Geisha is a premium product that is much higher quality than most other products, even though it is more expensive. You should treat yourself to a small portion of coffee, one of the best examples of the beverage available worldwide.
Geisha coffee has a smooth, gentle finish that often surprises coffee lovers. The product is better than anything else on the market.
Although Geisha coffee is too expensive for most people to drink every day, Pinning down the exact price can be tricky.
Like all commodities, the prices fluctuate. In 2019, a one-pound (450 gram) bag of coffee beans from the Geisha variety sold for over $1000. The cost of a single cup of coffee varies greatly from city to city.
You can get Geisha coffee beans at a lower cost online and at some specific stores. You can find rare coffee just by exploring different areas.
Why a Pound of Panama Geisha Coffee Sold for $1,029 — and Was Worth It
Panama Geisha Terroir
This coffee is record-breaking and Panamanian Geishas are of high auction value because of Panama’s climate, soils, and other aspects such as sea level and geographic positioning that affect the taste of Geisha coffee. The concept of terroir may already be familiar to you. It is the notion that coffee, like other food and drink, is influenced by the environment in which it is produced.
Many coffee aficionados believe that Panamanian Geisha coffee beans are some of the best in the world and this is reflected in the high prices these beans fetch at auctions and competitions. Panama’s microclimate is caused by a combination of northerly (Caribbean) and southerly (Pacific) winds in the Mountain range, as well as the potassium and calcium-rich volcanic soils that are surrounded by virgin forest. This balances the natural shade and protects the coffee cherries on the delicate Geisha branches from the wind. Panama is geographically unique compared to other coffee-growing regions because of its location on an isthmus (a narrow strip of land connecting two larger landmasses).
Geisha coffee grown in Boquete and Chiriquí has strong floral notes as well as delicate notes of jasmine, bergamot, peach, lemongrass, and red fruits. Geisha can have different processing, such as being washed, natural, or having some special process.
Lamastus Jr. claims that the Panama Geishas have unique qualities that cannot be found in Geishas from other countries. He attributes these qualities to the difference in altitude and soil in Panama.
Breaking Records Worldwide
Today, more than 15 countries worldwide produce coffee from the Geisha coffee beans. The coffee beans originate from Panama. However, Panama is the only country that exceeds the set standards for quality in competitions and evaluations. The Lamastus family’s Elida Estates has gained global attention for its record-breaking Geishas at competitions.
LFE was founded by Robert Lamastus in 1918 in Boquete, Panama. Boquete is a famous coffee-growing region in the world.
Elida Estate’s Geishas coffee beans were given the highest score of 98 points by CoffeeReview.com, the first time the website has given any coffee that high of a score.
Other factors that contribute to the high cost of Panama Geisha coffee beans include the expensive market cost of land in Panama compared to other coffee growing countries, the lower bean yield of Geishas per branch versus other Arabica coffee varieties, and basic supply and demand. Due to the rarity of these specialty Geishas, prices can be driven up, just as with some Romanée Conti Burgundy wines that can cost upwards of $20,000.
According to Mike Perry, founder of Klatch Coffee in Cucamonga, Calif., people who want the best quality coffee are typically willing to pay more for it. He should know – as a Best of Panama judge and buyer of the 2019 Elida Geisha, he’s tasted some of the best coffee in the world.
Due to these reasons, people were willing to spend up to $1,029 for one pound of coffee.
Buyers are willing to pay high prices for coffee because they know the work that goes into it and they expect the quality to be consistent.
Who Is Buying These Ultra-Expensive Coffees?
This Elida Estate Geisha coffee was bought by buyers from all over the world, including Japan’s Saza Coffee, California’s Klatch Coffee, Connecticut’s Willoughby’s Coffee & Tea, and Colorado’s Dragonfly Coffee Roasters.
“The coffee was so sweet, clean, and fruity. The flavor was similar to that of candied fruit, like Jolly Ranchers and Lifesavers. Perry was amazed by the flavor of the coffee and gave it their highest score. Perry knew they had to buy the coffee at the Best of Panama auction.
Barry Levine, who is the owner and CEO of Willoughby’s Coffee & Tea in Connecticut and a BoP judge, says that he gave the Elida Estate geisha the highest score of his career.
Levine says that they wanted their company to have some of the 100 pounds of the product available worldwide, even though the price was very high.
More and more people want to try Geisha coffee, regardless of their economic background, lifestyle, or nationality. At his coffee shop in California, Perry sees a range of different people including “foodies,” students, and younger people who love specialty coffee, as well as those who can afford to pay the higher prices for quality. Levine’s Geishas are popular internationally, with orders coming in from Asia and Saudi Arabia.
Schnorenberg believes that there are “experience-driven” consumers who visit quality-focused restaurants or purchase nicer beers or wine.
To one that is more ‘experience based’, and one that is starting to employ more people with higher levels of customer service experience,” According to the speaker, the service industry is changing to one that is based more on customer experience, and is hiring more employees with customer service experience. Schnorenberg says they are trying to make food, beer, wine, and coffee more accessible to everyone by making it more affordable.
What A $1,000 Coffee Means for the Industry
Record prices prove people will pay for quality. The price of auction coffees, including Geishas, has been driven up by the popularity of Geishas, and the price of coffee from other countries has risen as well. In 2019, coffee sold at the BoP auction for around $30 a pound. At the same time, the market value of specialty coffee stabilized.
Geisha coffee beans tend to be more expensive than traditional varietals, typically falling within the $30 to $200 per pound range for top growers. Commodity coffee prices are too low, which is causing the worldwide market to suffer.
At the moment, Arabica coffee is selling for a very low price of $1 a pound. This coffee from Elida Estate Panama Geisha is selling at the other end of the price range and is truly an anomaly.
Lamastus Jr. used the ASD method, which he learned from the wine industry, to experiment. This is partly why his family’s coffee was sold for $1,029 per pound.
After the success of Geisha coffee in Panama, many people from other countries invested money in coffee plantations there. Coffee tourism, which refers to traveling to coffee-growing regions to learn about the industry and consume the product, has become increasingly popular in recent years. This is due in part to organizations like La Cosecha, which arranges trips for industry professionals and coffee enthusiasts to places like Boquete and Chiriquí in Panama, where the Geisha variety of coffee is grown. Geisha coffee from Panama has been getting a lot of media and market recognition, inspiring producers in other countries like Colombia and El Salvador to start planting it. However, there are some issues that these producers and farmers outside Panama need to be aware of, such as seed traceability, an understanding of the global market, and the skills necessary to grow delicate Geishas.
Where Are the Best Geisha Beans Grown and Processed?
The coffee cherry variant that is most coveted, Geisha, is grown almost exclusively in a remote mountainside region of Panama.
Farms that are large in size operate using methods that are traditional and local labor to produce crops. They export their award-winning items to different parts of the world.
The land near Boquete in Panama offers fertile volcanic soil and long seasons of tropical sunlight.
The Geisha coffee beans grown in this region have a unique flavor due to the weather and soil conditions.
The cultivation of coffee in Panama has made the nation famous worldwide for its first-class coffee. Special care and craftsmanship go into this valuable export.
Premier plantations are located in environments that are beneficial to the ecosystem. Sarah Woods points out that microorganisms are essential for many farms that use organic methods in Panama.
The time-consuming and labor-intensive processes used preserve the high quality that has been receiving increasing recognition in recent years.
The great taste of coffee comes from the years of growing cycles that the coffee cherries go through. It takes growers a long time to become good at handpicking cherries that are ripe.
Those who have spent their lives working on Geisha crops learn to notice even the tiniest blemish or flaw.
Big coffee producers use complicated industrial roasting processes to sort, wash and dry the coffee they harvest.
The sun drying method used by smaller farms is more vulnerable to bad weather. Both approaches demand constant attention from many careful hands.
With the comings and goings of the seasons, luxury coffee is:
- Picked
- Roasted
- Bagged
Locals and visitors in Panama aren’t subject to the drastic markup on coffee beans when they leave the country and are spread thinly worldwide.
When you are looking for Gesha coffee, be sure to notice the unique spelling that Panama plantations use to distinguish their product from coffee from other countries. It’s the hallmark of top quality.
How Do You Brew a Proper Cup of Geisha Coffee?
You should start by grinding whole Geisha coffee beans for immediate brewing.
Be sure to clean all tools and devices you plan to use to make your own Geisha coffee.
Make sure there are no leftover inferior grounds that could spoil the results of your investment in these magical beans.
Keep things simple with a straightforward filtered brew. A complicated espresso machine is not necessary to enjoy the flavor of Geisha coffee; a simple brewing process is all that is needed to release its power.
You should rinse your paper coffee filter with water before adding ground coffee.
Geisha coffee is a very rare and unique coffee, so it is important to conserve every last drop of it. The grounds can also be used to make the coffee, so don’t throw them away!
use the filter to save your grounds if you want to use them as a meat tenderizer and seasoning Save money and make your steak taste better by adding spices.
However, please do not use the Geisha coffee grounds for another brew. Whether you paid $5 or $50, the coffee bean price is irrelevant. You will regret it.
Conclusion
Although Geisha coffee is an expensive new development, it is still within your reach.
Geisha coffee beans have gained attention for their unique flavor profile that is a result of their journey across continents and oceans. The world is full of delicious things to eat, no matter where you are.
It’s important that we pamper ourselves and take advantage of all the great experiences life has to offer. Geisha can provide us with a lot of pleasure and satisfaction if we let them. Try something new for your morning coffee routine and upgrade to a better quality brew.