We're excited to release the first lot from our most recent harvest at our farm on the slopes of the Volcan Baru in Panama. This past year we have had amazing progress and growth in both quality and yield at Finca La Cabra. One of our lots placed 11th out of 74 in the Varietals category of the Best of Panama competition and sold in the international auction. We are thrilled with this and look forward to continuing to share our Panama journey and coffees with you.
We'll be offering five total lots this season—so keep an eye out for upcoming releases that highlight different processing methods and flavor notes. This release, Lot 59, is a Washed Anaerobic Double Process—a very interesting method that we lay out below.
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WASHED ANAEROBIC DOUBLE PROCESS
Washed Anaerobic Double Process is a specific coffee processing method that involves two rounds of fermentation. Here's a breakdown of the process:
Cherry Fermentation: We select, hand picked, and sort only ripe cherries. These cherries are then placed in tanks specially designed for fermentation. In the anaerobic process, the tanks are sealed and oxygen is removed from the tanks. During this fermentation stage, enzymes naturally present in the cherries break down sugars and amplify the unique flavors of the coffee beans. The duration and conditions of this fermentation can vary, influencing the coffee's flavor profile by developing intensity and complexity.
Depulping: After the first fermentation, the cherries are depulped. Depulping is the removal of the outer skin and some of the pulp from the coffee beans.
Second Fermentation: The depulped beans are then returned to tanks for a second round of fermentation. This secondary fermentation breaks down the remaining pulp and further develops the flavors and characteristics of the coffee. The specific conditions, such as time, temperature, and the presence of microorganisms, are controlled to create a distinct flavor profile.
This process reveals a coffee's unique and complex flavor notes, often described as fruity, floral, or wine-like, depending on the specific coffee variety, fermentation conditions, and other factors.
The Washed Anaerobic Double Process relies foremost of the selection skill of the coffee pickers and then on the skills of the coffee process managers meticulously monitoring each fermentation stage, as the slightest variation can lead to significantly different flavor profiles. This method is just one of many ways to process coffee beans, each of which can produce distinct flavors in the final cup.
FARM UPDATES
We've gotten a lot of work done on the farm over the last six months, and it's all starting to show right about now. The crew housing build out is complete. Now we're furnishing the apartments and finishing a little trim work. Outside, the painting is done, and we put in a new septic system. This fall, we are installing the solar energy system that will power lights and electricity for apartments and the processing warehouse.
Beyond housing, the farm itself is looking super healthy. In February, we had a few scrappy looking trees in several sections. Some of them looked almost windblown, they had lost so many leaves. We commissioned an agronomist to take soil samples from across the farm and make recommendations for specific formulas of nutrition for each lot. We fed the trees chicken manure, carbonized rice hulls, and compost and now they are lush with deep, green leaves. There are so many more cherries on each tree than there were last year. This rich health throughout the farm portends a higher yield and more flavorful coffees.
Award Winning Specialty Coffee
