BAMBITO ESTATE COFFEE – Specialty Coffee Association of Panama

Profile

Alberto Sittón Rios acquired the farm in 1945 in the mountains of Bambito, Chiriqui Province, Panama. The farm in Bambito was Alberto’s passion as it was his way to continue a family tradition. Nowadays, Bambito continues to be a family-oriented business. We are strong believers in developing partnerships with our coffee friends around the world.

Our coffee plantation is at an altitude between 1,660 and 1,800 meters, located between of two national forest parks and crossed by two mountain ridges from east to west creating two natural microclimates. These ridges protect the coffee trees from the summer north winds. The southern part of the estate has the majority of the sun exposure from early morning to mid-afternoon. The northern part has less solar exposure, it is more shaded and humid. The valley area temperature averages 15℃ between Jan to March. The rest of the year temperature ranges between 15℃ to 25℃ characterized by drizzling and occasional showers.

Bambito has its own greenhouse to preserve coffee tree genetic and maintain a young plantation. The coffee process byproducts (coffee pulp / mucilage liquid) are used as source of organic fertilizer.

Aside from Bambito’s traditional blend (caturra / red catuai), the yellow catuai is naturally processed. The Geisha micro lot is 24-hours semi-fermented and natural. A bourbon natural microlot is available as well.

We have a cupping room which is used for quality control and to share the experience to prepare any of your favorite extraction, either V60, french press or espresso.

COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY

Bambito Estate is committed to provide a healthy and social work environment, respectful of the land that allows us to grow outstanding coffee.

We incorporated the community in our SRP, providing breakfast during the school year to the nearby elementary school students and we also support the community children during christmas holidays with food and gifts.

GENERAL FARM NOTES

Fertilizer Practices: A soil and leave chemical analysis is performed every other year to assess chemical components level. Based on the information gathered, four fertilization cycles are scheduled yearly. We adhere to best practices and approved imported products by heath and agricultural authorities.

Compost: Our compost is based on coffee pulp mixed with parchment ash and lime, and it’s applied once year.

Soil Composition: The soil in Bambito Estate is volcanic because our close location to the inactive Baru Volcano, rich in potassium and magnesium.

Trees Pruning: Selected trees are pruned once a year after picking season.

Coffee Trees: The trees have an average lifetime of 5 years. On a yearly basis we review the areas where replacement trees will be planted. Bambito has its own nursing utilizing seeds from the farm.

Varietals: Our coffee trees varietals are Caturra, Catuai (red and yellow), Typica and Geisha.

Flowering Season: May through June

Fruiting/maturation season: June through December

Harvest: December through March

Picking passes per harvest season: An average of 7 passes.

Labor Team: We have a foreman and 4 assistants for farm management (fertilization / pruning / planting / Other). During harvest, up to 25 people are lodged on premises.

Picker’s daily harvest average volume: An average of 3 cans of cherry during our four months of harvest.

POST HARVEST

Washed Process: We do 24 hours fermentation without pulp, and with as much mucilage as possible. Our blend is on patio, Geisha in tanks. Once solar patio drying phase is concluded, the coffee goes to the mechanical dryers, which use parchment as fuel, for up to 36 hours to reach adequate humidity level (12%).
Natural Process: We use raised beds, traditional parabolic beds, until an adequate humidity level is obtained. If required, we use the statical dryer.

MILL

Sorting Practices: The cherry undergoes two water floating stages to separate beans by density for export quality. After removing parchment when preparing shipment, the beans go through size and weight selectors. Then they are handsorted prior to bagging.

Export

Bambito is among the last farms to process its coffee because of the farm’s altitude. Therefore, the coffee’s optimal rest is until April. We export between April to June.

Bambito Estate Coffee

Bambito, Chiriqui, Panama

https://www.facebook.com/Bambito-Estate-Coffee

Rafael “Fito” Amar Gantes