16th December

Origin

The view from Acacia Hills Estate is surreal. The northern border of the estate lies along the Southwestern side of Mount Oldeani, whose slopes drain water into Lake Eyasi, a key saltwater lake on the borders of Ngorogoro Conservation area and Serengeti National Park. From the edge of the farm, you can see the edge of Ngorogoro crater, an ancient collapsed volcano whose fertile valley is now home to dozens of different animal species: from African elephants to lions, rhinoceros, leopards and giraffes.

The land upon which the estate sits was previously 4 smaller farms, first cultivated by German settlers in the 1930s and 40s. In the 1960s, the four farms were united as the Acacia Hills Estate and the estate has been producing coffee ever since: a total of over 50 years.

In 2007, Leon and Aideen Christianakis, local Tanzanian coffee farmers, partnered with an American roaster to purchase and upgrade the estate to focus on specialty coffee production. Today, Leon and Aideen incorporate a wide variety of practices, including soil analysis, managed shade and processing methods, into their production to ensure the highest quality possible.

The estate also features its own cupping lab that enables Leon and Aideen analyze their coffees onsite.

Geisha (also known as Gesha) is known for its exceptional cup quality, especially when grown at high altitudes. The variety comes from Ethiopian landrace coffees and was collected from Ethiopian coffee forests in the 1930s. The name supposedly derives from Ethiopia’s Gori Gesha forest.

There is some confusion with several genetically distinct varieties that have all been called Geisha, but the most famous variety is the Panama one. The variety was brought to Lyamungu research station in Tanzania and from there to Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE) in Central America in 1953. At CATIE, the variety was logged as T2722. CATIE distributed T2722 across Panama in the 1960s for its Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) resistance, but its brittle branches meant it was not widely planted.

Panama Geisha reached its modern fame in 2005 when a Geisha lot won the “Best of Panama” competition and broke contemporary records at over $20/pound. DNA analysis has demonstrated that the Panama Geisha descended from T2722 is distinct and uniform. Today, Geisha is known for its delicate florals, jasmine and stone fruit.

Recipe:

Method: Hario Dripper V60
Temperature: 93 °C
Coffee amount: 20 g
Grind setting: 22 clicks on Comandante
Brew Time: 2:45

0:00 – 110 g bloom
0:45 – up to 220 g
1:15 – up to 330 g