Coffee Growing Around Boquete Region In Panama
Boquete, is located on the slopes of Baru Volcano, and it is one of the most recognized coffee growing areas in all of Panama. For more than a century, the area has been dedicated to producing some of Panama’s best coffee and it is now becoming known on an international level for the high quality brews grown here.
In the past Panamanian coffee was overshadowed by neighbors such as Costa Rica and Colombia, but thanks to several international awards that were won by Panamanian coffee plantations, it is now getting the respect that it truly deserves. There are now several specialty coffees that are produced by the local plantations that have propelled the beans from Boquete to international esteem.
The climate in the region is excellent for growing coffee, with just the right measure of sun, shade and humidity. The soil is volcanic and highly fertile, which helps to produce a particularly rich flavored coffee bean.
If you are a fan of coffee, then you will love the coffee plantation tours that you can take in the Boquete region. You will get to sample various coffees that are grown in the area and learn all about the history of coffee growing in Boquete and the techniques that are involved. There are also century old coffee mills and other historical items that you can see and learn about the influence of local indigenous tribes on the coffee industry in Boquete too.
On the tours of the plantations you will learn all about different aspects of growing and harvesting the coffee as well as historical information specific to the region, organic growing practices, fair trade and secrets to brewing the best possible cup of coffee at home.
When the coffee cherries are being harvested the coffee pickers usually pick between 100 and 200 pounds of cherries each day. Of this amount around 20 per cent is the actual coffee bean. When the cherries have been plucked from the tree, they have to be processed straight away. In Boquete, the coffee cherries are normally washed in a machine, then pulped and dried. Once the cherry is dried, the bean can be extracted and the whole process is called wet processing.
The other method is known as dry processing and this tends to involve more labor in processing and is therefore more expensive. The process is completed by putting the coffee cherries on large drying platforms and rotating the cherries every six hours to allow for them to dry evenly. This process retains a very earthy and rich flavor in the beans.
Following the processing of the coffee, the beans are judged for size and quality and stored for up to six months during which the coffee producers continue to monitor the beans for readiness. When the coffee mavens deem the coffee to be ready it is packaged up and 90 per cent of the Boquete, Panama coffee is now exported around the world to coffee lovers to enjoy.
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