“Best of Panama” coffee competition goes virtual

BOQUETE, Chiriquí.  51  Panama coffee producers are participating in the  ‘The Best of Panama 2021’ competition using 14,550 pounds of geisha coffee and 11,550 pounds of coffees of traditional varieties. 

The competition is being held virtually due to the pandemic.

Daniel Peterson, president of the Panama Association of Specialty Coffee, said that there are 174 lots of coffees registered in the competition that attracts world buyers of the bean.

There are 97 lots of geisha coffee, of which 45 are washed and another 52 were processed naturally; meanwhile, there are 77 lots of coffees in the varietal category, which includes all traditional variety coffees.

After the delivery of the samples, the tasting will be held with national judges from July 5 to 9, while the tasting with international judges will be from August 2 to 7.

The coffee samples with the highest scores will in turn enter the worldwide electronic auction planned for September 22.

“This is the central event to promote Panamanian coffee growing and it is not an option to suspend it, it will be virtual, the national tasting will be by national judges in their respective laboratories. We have complex but functional logistics, the correct water with the same amount of minerals will be used the same as last year, and in the case of the International tasting the samples will be sent to the judges in each of their countries ”, said Peterson.

There is a high expectation for the innovations that this year Panamanian coffee growers bring in traditional and anaerobic processes, seeking to satisfy the palate of demanding international buyers.