Why coffee you ask? Several years ago, I read an article about the growing number of people roasting coffee at home. Since my baking hobby had started shrinking my pants, I found the idea of roasting coffee interesting. After all, I have always loved coffee, and many of my fondest memories and deepest thoughts have been shared with family and friends over a steaming cup of coffee. So, I took an introduction to home roasting class, and I was immediately hooked! My new hobby quickly became an obsession. I found myself spending hours reading and learning about the different varieties of coffee plants, the regions where they grow, and the people that passionately plant, nurture, and harvest these plants. I realized that coffee for them was not just a vocation, but a way of life that is deeply imbedded in their culture, economy, and society. Whether it be a large finca in Guatemala or the tiniest micro lot farmer in Ethiopia, they all share the same life-long pursuit of growing the perfect beans that will ultimately become the perfect cup of coffee. And, from that coffee plant, the farmers have grown families, communities, churches, schools, health care clinics, as well as saving our rainforests. I ask you, “can coffee save the world?” Perhaps! It certainly has changed mine for the better!
-Kirstie
My mission is simple. It is to bring to my community premium specialty grade coffees from around the world. My promise to you is to always source beans that are responsibly grown and harvested. I promise to take great pride and care into roasting every batch. I promise to continue to learn and grow as a nano roaster so that I can roast the best darn coffee you have ever tasted!
The history of Panamanian coffee begins in the mid-1700s when the coffee beans arrived in Portobelo from the French Caribbean. In 1780, settler Pedro Antonio de Ayarza registered coffee as an official crop and attempted to plant it in Portobelo; however, these efforts failed as the port city’s altitude proved to be too low. It would be another 100 years, when coffee was planted in the highlands around the Volcano “Baru,” before commercial cultivation of Panama coffee was successful. At the time, nearly all coffee grown in Panama was used for internal consumption and the country was better known for exporting tea. Panamanians drank more coffee than they grew and had to import coffee to meet demand until the 1940’s. Exports grew slowly over the years; however, 50% of Panama’s coffee is still consumed domestically.
In the shadows of the Volcano Baru and Horqueta Mountain, in the Boquete highlands of Panama, coffee has been growing on Finca La Gloria for nearly 120 years. Boquete is a small mountain town and is located in the westernmost Province of Chiriquí (“Valley of the Moon”), which is about 37 miles from the border with Costa Rica, and lies on the Caldera River. Coffee plant varieties Typica, Caturra, and a small amount of Geisha grow under tall native shade trees and the watchful eye of farmer Norberto Suarez. The farm is part of a diverse ecosystem that includes a wide variety of flora and wildlife, including white-neck monkeys, venison, rabbits and many native birds. Four natural springs either originate or run across the estate, which help make the soil rich and well balanced. At the end of each harvest day cherries are delivered to Beneficios de Café de Boquete for processing. Norberto manages the mill, which he owns along with his siblings who are also coffee farmers.
La Gloria Estate is one of several "Baru Indian High" estates in Boquete's Horqueta subregion. These estates benefit from altitudes reaching 2000 meters at their peak, nutrient-rich volcanic soils, mild average temperatures, and ideal annual rainfall. La Gloria has access to natural spring water that flows through the area, useful at the farm and around the estate, and also a direct water source for local farmers.
Panama might not be the largest coffee exporter in the world, but it’s home to the most expensive, highest quality single-origin coffee that entices every coffee connoisseur – the Geisha varietal. Over the past few decades, Panama transformed its mindset surrounding its coffee industry, deciding to pursue quality over quantity. If you buy Panamanian coffee, you can tell their heart is in their coffee beans!
Spring water flowing through La Gloria Estate
Colombia Inza Vereda San Antonio
Notes of brown sugar, dark honey, vanilla, caramel, cocoa, and mild fruit.
Dota Tarrazu - Santa Maria - Peaberry
Very clean and sweet with fruit (cascara/strawberry) and floral tones balanced with hints of nutty and chocolaty undertones.
Organic Sidama Natural Gr. 3
Rich and chocolaty with just a pinch of floral acidity that fades into a soft fruit note.
Queen City Harrar
Aroma with hints of cherry, dark chocolate, and dried fruit.
Xinabajul Peña Blanca
Notes of torched sugar and caramel, apple sauce with cinnamon, and dark cacao with a juicy mouthfeel.
Savane Zombie - Central Plateau
A clean, smooth bodied coffee with low acidity, sweet undertones, and floral aromas.
Kirinyaga Kainamui Peaberry
A sweet coffee with notes of brown sugar, molasses, black currant, cranberry tea, melon, and raspberry with aromas of warm baking spices.
Organic Chiapas - San Cristobal Microlot
Very sweet and chocolaty with some lemony/floral crispness and a creamy mouthfeel.
Boquete La Gloria Estate
Notes of caramel, cocoa, macadamia nut, barley tea, and almond milk.
Organic Decaffeinated SWP
A smooth medium-bodied coffee with notes of malt, dark chocolate, cola, and citrus.
Organic Hingakawa Women's Co-Op FTO
This coffee is washed and dried in the Rwandan sun. It has bright acidity with notes of sweetness, raisin, and tropical fruit.