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I guess I was feeling a little guilty for not really liking the last Panamanian  pound of coffee that I purchased.  I just went a little Panama crazy with my latest order from Sweet Marias. I got one pound of the Panama Don Pepe Estate Dry process as well as a bag of some Panama Boquete Golden Peaberry.  I really liked the review of the Don Pepe estate dry process that Tom from SM gave and decided to give it a whirl. I  am still a little unclear about the  differences in the processing  of certain coffee beans. I  know that some are wet processed, in which the husk and the fruity pulp of the coffee cherry are  washed off of the beans, while others are dry processed in which the husk and pulp are peeled away from the bean manually.  Dry processed beans apparently can end up having more character since the process involves manual labor and the resulted batch of picked beans will have a certain inconstancy that makes for an more layered taste. The rub is that the dry process can leave you with a coffee that tastes unclean and musty.

Anyways I roasted my first batch of the Don Pepe in my trusty little Nesco for 25 minutes, deciding I wanted a bit darker roast this time around.I was hearing the second crack a minute before the cooling cycle kicked in. The beans came out dark and oily and smelled terrific.  I made up a batch with my Chemex the next day, but made it way too strong to really get a good sense as to how this coffee was. (I am still tweaking with my chemex brewing method trying to find a good middle ground) Today, as I am writing this, I think I finally got it right and I am right now, enjoying a fine cup of coffee with a strong initial taste of smoked almond and licorice with a pleasant lingering aftertaste of dark chocolate. Perhaps they are right about Panama coffees and their tendency to be underrated. After this experience I will certainly be willing to give Panamanian beans another look. The dry process method is also, I think, underrated. Perhaps it is not for those who only want a clean cup of coffee devoid of any character, but for the rest of us who like a little adventure, it is worth a shot.

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