Geisha blowback

Discuss flavors, brew temperatures, blending, and cupping notes.
compellingrich
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#1: Post by compellingrich »

It has been interesting, and more than a little funny, to see the same gallery of established coffee pro bloggers complain about the overexposure of geisha-variety coffee in the market and competition circuit lately. I think seeing geisha is a great thing, just like seeing stellar Rwandan coffee is a great thing, just like seeing fully-washed coffee is a great thing: these are all the products of specialty coffee's influence in the coffee market.

Having a "flagship coffee" in coffee isn't an end-goal, but it is important. Having a coffee that sells for $80/lb green and $160/lb roasted gives farmers, importers, and roasters something to talk about to non-specialty buyers, and for better or worse piques interest in what we do. (Is the value proposition on a $80/lb green coffee good for most of us? Not really, but that's for another day.)

If a coffee is radically different, in a good way, we should show it off. Period. I think the only problem with geisha coffee is selling it for a premium product when the quality subjectively isn't there.

In my mind, Panama Geisha and washed Yirgacheffe are the two coffees most-responsible for the current state of specialty coffee. I would go so far as to say many of our careers exist because of those two coffees. Personally, I like the current state of coffee - and I like where (I think) we're heading, which is raising consumer expectations and desires away from commodity-grade coffee so that more and more people are expecting a quality cup, instead of what I would call the classic "diner cup."

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yakster
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#2: Post by yakster »

Did you read James Hoffmann's post on Geisha and the competition circuit, interesting read: http://www.jimseven.com/2016/07/18/on-geisha/

He makes the point that it may be easier to win with Geisha not because it's a better coffee but it's easier to call the flavors that the judges can easily pick out of the coffee for higher scores.
-Chris

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[creative nickname]
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#3: Post by [creative nickname] »

I've had excellent geishas and some that were not worth the price premium. But when it's on the money it's a lovely coffee.

You can think of the price differential a few different ways. If a pound of geisha greens costs 4X what a top Kenyan or Yirg costs, I doubt I'm going to get 4X the flavor experience. But specialty greens are very cheap for the pleasure they provide, and I'd rather see green prices trending up than down so long as a reasonable share of that is ending up in producer's and laborer's hands. I like to consume a variety of excellent coffees from different origins, and I'm more than happy to pay a premium to include geishas in the rotation.

I don't get James Hoffman's point at all. Geishas often give you some nice clear citrus and florals, but plenty of other coffees have clear and distinctive notes. A high level competitive barista should have a palette sufficient to characterize and describe any coffee they serve in a way that the judges can recognize. I suspect the dominance of geishas in competition is equal parts trendiness and a desire to leave no stone unturned in maximizing flavor quality, rather than anything intrinsically more "describable" about them.
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Chert
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#4: Post by Chert »

My palate may never be refined enough or my wallet fat enough to have the opportunity to tell a great Yirg from a gesha. I am equally interested in trying a 100 point Colombian Nariño like Geoff Watts did a few years ago.
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Boldjava
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#5: Post by Boldjava »

Chert wrote:My palate may never be refined enough or my wallet fat enough to have the opportunity to tell a great Yirg from a gesha...].
Flint, bet it is or will be. I have had great washed Yirgs but the aroma of a Geisha jumps off the table.

DB
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yakster
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#6: Post by yakster »

I like Geishas but my wallet likes greens, not someone else's roast.
-Chris

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Chert
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#7: Post by Chert replying to yakster »

And if you want to spend, how much opportunity do you have to buy gesha green? SM has one - any other small lots avail?
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Boldjava
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#8: Post by Boldjava »

Chert wrote:.. SM has one - any other small lots avail?
Bodhi has a pricey one from Guat and a $50/lb one from Panama.

http://www.bodhileafcoffee.com/collecti ... isha-green

http://www.bodhileafcoffee.com/products ... isha-green
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[creative nickname]
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#9: Post by [creative nickname] »

I've gotten great ones through GCBC, like the Ethiopian DP Geisha I'm enjoying right now. Price was under $10/lb.
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compellingrich (original poster)
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#10: Post by compellingrich (original poster) »

Boldjava wrote:Bodhi has a pricey one from Guat and a $50/lb one from Panama.

http://www.bodhileafcoffee.com/collecti ... isha-green

http://www.bodhileafcoffee.com/products ... isha-green
I'm going to step in here and democratically steer y'all away from that Guat, and towards the Panama Santa Teresa. Santa T was the first geisha I ever bought a few years back, and the response was overwhelming. First, and one of the true "geisha bomb" profiles I've ever had.

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