CROWD ROASTER is currently working on a truly special project in which a micro lot of Esmeralda Farm, the epitome of Panamanian Geisha , and its top brand, Esmeralda Special, will be roasted by one of Japan's leading roasters participating in CROWD ROASTER .

The second installment of this project, " Geisha Washed Trapiche 65AS," was roasted by Ishii Yasuo of LEAVES COFFEE ROASTERS , Ishii Yasuo has adopted the concept of "From a local roastery to the world" and is active in embodying this concept.

To learn more about this special Geisha and the appeal of Yasuo 's roasting, we present a conversation between Ishii Yasuo and barista Takayuki Ishitani, a Japanese barista champion and advisor to CROWD ROASTER .

We had a chat while cupping freshly roasted coffee at LEAVES COFFEE ROASTERS .
(Interviewer: CROWD ROASTER )

 

 

 

Yasuo : There are a lot of flavors that aren't available in the "Private Collection" (Esmeralda Farm Geisha , one rank below Esmeralda Special). It has a strong jasmine flavor. What do you think, Ishitani-san?

Ishiya: First of all, I was impressed by how well the flavor came out. The flavor comes first, followed by the sweetness, and in that sense, it's easy to detect the ingredients.

Yasuo : ...It has a bit of a honey-like quality, like coffee blossoms. As the temperature drops, the flavor changes. The flavor aroma has calmed down a bit, and the sweetness is starting to become apparent.

Ishiya: I think the "color" of the flavor has changed. It seems to have gone from green, like muscat, to orange, red, and even a little purple.

Usukura : LEAVES COFFEE also sells Panama Geisha from other farms, but is Esmeralda Geisha different from that?

Yasuo : I think it's completely different. What I heard and what I got from roasting it myself matched up. Recently, it's trendy to improve quality through processing (production, selection), but Esmeralda Farm doesn't give that impression. Because it's authentic washed and natural, I think Esmeralda is the best place to experience the original Geisha ingredients among Panama coffees.

 

Usukura : In one word, what kind of coffee is this Geisha Washed?

Ishiya: Jasmine , right? Rather than giving out too much information, I think it would be good if people just drank it and got the impression that " this is Geisha ."

 

This is like the basics of Geisha . There are many different types of Geisha , but this is a place where you can reaffirm the basics. This is a farm that coffee lovers should visit at least once.

Yasuo : As Ishitani-san said, this is the ultimate Panama Geisha Washed coffee. I think it will be a great opportunity for people who are wondering, "What is Geisha ?" to learn more about it.

" Even though it's coffee, you can taste the floral notes and the sweetness of honey or syrup. Try it for yourself ."

This is quality-controlled Geisha washed coffee with a lot number, so I think it would be a good introduction for those who want to learn about authentic Geisha washed coffee, and also enjoyable for coffee connoisseurs.

This is the kind of coffee you can appreciate without having to think too hard about it, and I think we were able to roast it in a way that allows you to appreciate it this time.

 

Usukura : What did you pay attention to when roasting?

Yasuo : When it comes to roasting, these beans are very delicate, so if they are roasted even slightly beyond the (optimal) temperature, the flavor will be lost.

Geisha contains a fragrant substance called "limonene," but it's very sensitive to heat. Since Esmeralda Geisha Wash is a delicate coffee to begin with, I tried to preserve the limonene while baking it in a way that's suitable for both beginners and experts. That said, I hope you enjoy it without overthinking it.

Usukura : When you actually bake a sample and then bake the actual batch, you can only bake it 2 or 3 times, so was there any drama that occurred?

Yasuo : I only have two chances, but if I'm going to roast it, I want it to be Geisha that's easy to recognize, and I want to ensure the quality of the roasting.

When I roasted the sample, the beans had a lot of moisture, and I understood from measuring the sugar content of the cherries that they were high in the first place. However, when I actually roasted them, the coffee turned out to be even better than I expected. So, when they're popping at the end of the roast, they're really lively. They pop, and the temperature graph drops suddenly, so I have to keep applying more heat, but it's really difficult to do this without being nervous.

What's more, the more heat you apply, the more the delicious point narrows. You have to apply heat to get the flavor, but that only lasts about 0.5 seconds. If you're even one second late, the flavor is gone. That's the point.

 

I smelled the aroma of the beans, and after they popped, I sniffed them quickly about twice a second. I was very careful during this time.
This time I only have two more attempts, and the coffee was better than I expected, so I felt like it was a challenge for myself.

If this were a production roast to serve in a restaurant, I would heat it a little more and let it settle down to a delicious, sweet taste, so I wouldn't go to such lengths.

If you roast it well at this temperature, you can age it and drink it for a very long time. It will still be delicious even after two months, and the flavor will surely change.

 

Usukura : What specific changes do you think you will notice?

Yasuo : Over time, the flavor you pick up through your nose and mouth will decrease slightly, but the aroma that enters through your nose will increase. If you open the package and smell just the surface of the beans and it smells very sweet, that means time has passed and when you drink it as liquid coffee, the flavor itself will have weakened, but because the aroma is still coming in through your nose, it will still taste delicious.

Usukura : You can drink it over a long period of time.

Yasuo : That's right. I think it would be more enjoyable to drink this kind of coffee once a week for several weeks, so that you can see how it has changed from last week. I don't think it's something you drink today and tomorrow.

 

Ishiya: From a barista's perspective, Yasuo 's Esmeralda is very clean. I think it will give you a sense of what a clean cup is, a question often asked in the coffee industry.

Actually, it's hard to say what makes a coffee "clean cup," but it has a good texture at the beginning, and a clean aftertaste, but it's not so clean that it loses all flavor; it has a long, sweet finish and is a beautiful coffee. That's partly down to the quality of the green beans, but it's also down to the roasting technique, and I don't think there are many coffees that have flavor yet are this clean. That's a testament to Yasuo 's skill.

Yasuo : Thank you. It's easy to bake it in a clean way so that the flavor is short. However, it's very difficult to create a sweet, long-lasting finish, so I'm glad that Ishitani-san caught on to what I'm trying to achieve.

 

Usukura : I think that most of the people buying this time will enjoy it by hand-dripping, but is there anything they should be careful about?

Yasuo : At LEAVES COFFEE, the coffee:water ratio is roughly 1:16 to 1:15. I start with 90 degrees and go up to 93 degrees, but if you want to enjoy the flavor of this coffee, you might want to use a higher water temperature and extract it faster. The total extraction time is 2 to 3 minutes, and I think it's still delicious even if you let it steep for about 3 minutes. I pour 4 to 5 times, but the extraction time is more important than the number of times. A longer pour will give it more body, while a shorter pour will make it a little lighter.

Ishitani: There's no need to rely on anyone else for taste standards, and there's no need to change the extraction method just because it's a special Geisha . You won't be able to tell the difference unless you brew it the same way as usual. One thing to be careful about is the ratio of beans to water, in other words, the concentration. If you think it's too strong or too weak, try changing the ratio and find the best balance for you.

Usukura : What kind of taste do you think is most important to Yasuo ?

Yasuo : For me, the first premise is "sweet and clean," and I feel lucky if there's any flavor or aroma. I focus on sweet, clean, and good texture.

Usukura : Personally, I was very excited to be able to get my hands on the washed Esmeralda. I was thinking about who I should have bake it and how, and I chose Yasuo because I thought the washed version would be a better fit than the natural version.

Yasuo : Thank you for choosing me (laughs). You're absolutely right. Personally, I prefer washed coffee for both drinking and grilling, and it's also easier to control the aroma.

Usukura : From your perspective, what is your image of Yasuo ?

Ishiya: I think it's a roast that hits the sweet spot, with a great aroma and texture, yet clean. It's delicate, yet powerful. Usually, one or the other tends to be the stronger impression, but Yasuo 's coffee has both, so I get the impression that he's done a lot of research and testing, and has brought out exactly what he wants. I think you'll be able to fully experience Yasuo 's unique style in this roast as well.

 

 

Yasuo said that roasting this `` Geisha Washed Trapiche 65AS'' was a challenge.

The result of going above and beyond our usual standards is an exquisite balance of aroma, flavor, and texture, bringing out the full delicacy of the ingredients and creating a coffee that you can enjoy changing over time.

 

If you're talking about Geisha , you have to try this gem of an Esmeralda Geisha . Experience the aroma and flavor that will change your life.

*This item is sold out

 

 

 

Takayuki Ishitani

He won the Japan Barista Championship (JBC) twice, in 2017 and 2019, and placed 4th at the World Barista Championship 2022 (WBC) representing Japan. He is involved in a wide range of activities, including barista development and training, shop direction, coffee serving at events, and seminar hosting. He is also an advisor for CROWD ROASTER .

Ishii Yasuo

The roastery began in 2019 with the concept of "From a local roastery to the world," and operates three roasting machines: the Probat UG-15, Giesen W6A, and Stronghold S7X. It is the first roaster in Japan to be nominated for the Notable Roaster category by American coffee media outlet Sprudge for two consecutive years. The roastery, visited by coffee lovers from Japan and abroad, as well as local residents of all ages and genders, offers world-class flavors and experiences, specializing in providing an extraordinary experience within the everyday.