KAWA - Finca Deborah [Nirvana] - Panama - Natural Anaerobic - Geisha

Situated at an altitude of over 1900 meters and nestled in the heart of the Volcan Mountains, Finca Deborah is shrouded in dense clouds for most of the year.

The plantation represents a beautiful natural environment where rare species of plants and animals abound and the Geisha reaches its full potential under the protection of the lush rainforest canopy.

Careful monitoring of the harvest is one of the most critical steps in a long list of quality control requirements. By hand-picking only the ripest cherries and processing those that meet rigorous standards, the farm can ensure that Finca Deborah’s Geisha is one of the finest Geisha coffees in the world. Finca Deborah’s mission is to grow, process and deliver only the highest quality coffee available in the world.

Nirvana begins with the harvest of perfectly ripe Geisha cherries, reading 21-24 on a BRIX refractometer. The cherries are carefully selected a second time before being placed in hermetically sealed tanks. These tanks are periodically purged with nitrogen throughout the duration inside the tanks to remove any remaining residual oxygen and create an anaerobic environment to prolong the fermentation process and enhance flavors.

The cherries remain in the vats for an extended period of 50+ hours with constant monitoring and cataloging of pH and temperature. Maintaining strict parameters is crucial, otherwise the coffee can exceed the set parameters and develop undesirable or “off” flavors. Periodic infusions are administered to ensure the vat remains stable and fermentation occurs within acceptable limits. Ambient temperatures are monitored and controlled to ensure linearity throughout the process.

After the required time in the nitrogen-infused vats, the coffee is removed and placed on raised, shaded African beds. Temperatures, heat and humidity are controlled inside the dryers and carefully maintained within certain parameters.

After about 20 days and when the coffee is dried to about 11%, it is bagged in GrainPro bags and stored in bodegas where temperatures are cool and stable. This resting or maturation process is essential for Deborah’s quality control and allows the coffee to stabilize and balance its moisture content. Another benefit to the coffee is the absorption of more flavor from its shell or parchment. After the required rest, the coffee is hulled and sorted by size, density and color.