Panama?s Coffee Cup ? Cafe Balboa

The Panama Coffee Cup this week is Cafe Balboa, sold in a very familiar red and white bag bearing the impressive mark of the Spanish explorer, Vasco Nunez Balboa.   This is a fitting name for a coffee produced in Panama because in 1513, Balboa crossed the isthmus of Panama and was credited for being the first person to see the Pacific Ocean.

The national currency of Panama is the “Balboa”, which replaced the Colombian peso in 1904.  Do you know when until the U.S. Dollar became tied to the Balboa?

In this series of articles about the fine coffee that grows in and near Boquete, Panama, I’ll try to give some information about Panama’s coffee growing industry and its importance to Boquete.

Over 85% of all coffee grown in Panama is grown in Chiriqui Province, of which Boquete is the leading growing area.  50% of all Panama coffee is exported, 75% goes to the U.S. and 25% to Germany, Japan and Italy – yes, Italy!

Let’s get back to Cafe Balboa.  When I opened my freshly-purchased bag of Balboa coffee, I didn’t notice any aroma, which surprised me.  As I prepared my coffeemaker, I did faintly get a whiff of light coffee fragrance, quite woodsy and green.   I try to make each pot of coffee consistently in the same manner, using 1 tablespoon grounds to each 6 ounce cup of water.

The resulting cup of Balboa coffee was not as full-bodied as I hoped, not as dark or flavorful as I expected it to be and the brew seemed thin in comparison to other brands.  So, I doubled the amount of coffee grounds in my next pot and got a more tasty, satisfying cup.

I couldn’t find a website for Cafe Balboa, the closest I could find was www.caffebalboa.com, only a place holder awaiting development. If you know of a site where I can find out more about Cafe Balboa, please let me know.

The bag states that it’s processed and packed in Concepcion, which is located on the other side of the volcano from Boquete, not too far away, as the crow flies. The price is a reasonable $2.30 per pound.

Interesting to learn that ever since Panama received its independence from Columbia, the U.S. Dollar has always been tied to the Balboa.  Since 1904, Balboas have been circulated alongside Dollars.

After looking at these Balboa coins, why do you think the coffee label shows Balboa looking the wrong way?