Abu Coffee

Origin: Boquete, Panama
Elevation: 1550 - 1600 m.a.s.l.
Varietals: Geisha and Catuai
Processes: Washed, Natural, Honey, Natural Anaerobic, Mosto Rehydration, and Mosto Washed

Abuelo: The Name Behind the Farm

Abu is short for abuelo, Spanish for grandfather, in honour of the family elder the estate was built around. Jose Luttrell runs the farm and does the processing himself, and every coffee on our cupping table was his own work, from open-tank oxidation on the washed line to his mosto rehydrations and staged anaerobic ferments.

We visited in competition season, with Best of Panama entries due in a few weeks and Jose holding back his best lots. It's a family effort: his sister enters the competition too. While the estate's cupper, Sofia Luttrell, was preparing for the World Brewers Cup. Interest in the farm has grown fast, with about three times as many visits as the year before, and demand now runs ahead of what they can produce.

Abu's Approach

Fermentation is the estate's signature and the reason to carry it.

Mosto Rehydration

The house signature. In the sibling 6100 protocol he detailed the timing: pre-dry five to six days on raised beds, add the Geisha mucilage mosto, seal in Grain Pro bags and hold under water for one day. He implemented it about two years ago; 6100 is now his best-selling coffee.

Staged Anaerobics

Sealed, oxygen-free ferments built in stages. His long-running recipe (6110) is one day oxidation then three days anaerobic, giving tropical fruits and some cacao; a double-phase version runs two plus three for higher intensity and more cacao nibs.

Water & Space

The estate washes with mountain spring water; for cupping Jose builds his water to about 30 ppm with a little Aquacode, so the cup shows the coffee and nothing else. He has been decreasing Catuai every year so Geisha can have more space.