Coffee Review: Panama Hacienda la Esmeralda, Fratello Coffee

Posted by toasted on Mar 18, 2010 in Coffee | 1 comment

Company: Fratello Coffee Roasters

Bean Origin or Blend: Panama Hacienda la Esmeralda (Diamond Mountain, Single Estate, Rainforest Alliance)

Body: Light/Medium

Roast: Medium

Brew Method: Drip and French Press

Price: $35/2lbs.

Background:
This is our first coffee review from Fratello Coffee Roasters, out of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Fratello is run by three brothers, Jason, Chris, and Russ, who are second-generation boutique coffee roasters. Fratello’s mission is choosing “coffee and farms that protect the environment and improve the typically poor living conditions where coffee is grown.”

Fratello’s homepage serves as a blog with frequently updated information related to boutique coffee roasting. Take a look at their online store and you’ll be in awe, with a huge selection of environmentally protective coffees, mostly sold in 2 pound bags at very reasonable prices. Their selection includes Bolivian, Brazilian, Guatemalan, Nicaraguan, and many more single origin coffees, along with a few espressos. Check them out online or follow their multiple Twitter accounts, listed here.

Bean:
The Fratello website provides some excellent information, such as the region, varietal, processing method, altitude, roast profile, and harvest season for each bean. This Panamanian bean is from a single estate in the highlands of Panama, in the regions known as Canas Verdes and Jaramillo, which is designated as a part of the Rainforest Alliance. As a member of the Rainforest Alliance, the wildlife habitat is undisturbed, the water sources are unpolluted, and the workers are treated fairly. This region is just outside of the town Boquete, where the soil is volcanic and ideal for coffee trees. To learn more about this area visit this link.

Surprising to me, coffee only makes up about 2% of Panama’s agricultural export, even though nearly half of Panama’s land mass is farmed (the main export is bananas).

Profile:
This Panamanian bean is medium in color and size and is a dry, non-oily bean. The aroma on the bean is quite pungent and sharp, with notes of citrus zest, a creamy milk (though not chocolate), and some undefined fruit notes. On the pour, the citric aroma becomes alive and takes over the profile, while the sweet fruit remains in the background. To the nitty-gritty, this Panamanian coffee is very smooth. It has a light to medium body that coats the palate and leaves behind a very creamy, long finish. The flavors are alive and bounce around mostly between sweet apple core and citrus, though there is a slightly-muted chocolate on the finish. Fratello describes this bean as being delicate and clean and I would have to agree. Though clean, there are also some excellent flavors with enough complexity to keep you interested.

Synopsis:
Anytime I buy local, I always take into account the level of customer service I receive. Working with Russ at Fratello has been a true delight – he followed up to ensure I received the beans and that they were fresh and provided immediate answers to my questions. Back to the beans – at around $17.50 a pound, this is a reasonable price, especially for the environmentally aware. This Panamanian bean comes from a single estate and is stamped by the Rainforest Alliance, so you should expect to pay a few extra dollars a pound. But the price is justified for the cleanness and subtle, yet delightful flavor profile – the environmental aspect is just an added bonus. So, final word – pay Fratello a visit!