Lost Origin

The story

Lost Origin is a coffee processing laboratory founded in January 2023 by Juan-Andres Typaldos and Franz Zeimetz. The founders, who have backgrounds in craft brewing at Panama City's Casa Bruja, established the lab to apply beer fermentation techniques to coffee processing. They collaborate with established Panamanian farms to experiment with post-harvest processing methods.

Challenges

The lab operates within an industry deeply rooted in tradition, requiring them to navigate established norms while introducing experimental processing techniques. They must also manage the logistics of transporting handpicked cherries from farms in Boquete to their facility in Panama City via refrigerated trucks to maintain quality.

Innovations

Lost Origin utilizes custom fermentation vessels and controlled drying rooms to apply craft brewing fermentation techniques to coffee. They specifically use yeast strain inoculation to enhance aroma compounds and fruit notes in the beans.