December 24 2025

Origin

Lost Origin Coffee Lab is a highly experimental coffee laboratory based in the very center of Panama City, uniquely located above the Casa Bruja craft brewery—an influence that strongly shapes its deep focus on controlled fermentation. Founded by Franz Zeimatz and Andy Typalos, the lab draws on their extensive background in beer fermentation, applying the same scientific and methodical approach to specialty coffee processing. Their work systematically explores the impact of yeast selection, time, and environment on the final flavor profile. Coffee cherries are sourced from the prestigious Boquete region and carefully selected farms such as Finca Maya, Don Benjie, Gran del Val, and Chevas Coffee Estate, where they are hand-picked at optimal ripeness. Immediately after harvest, the cherries are transported overnight in refrigerated trucks to Panama City to preserve maximum freshness and quality. Upon arrival at the lab, the cherries are disinfected, cooled, and processed in near-sterile conditions using specially designed fermentation tanks that allow precise control over temperature, pressure, movement, and fermentation duration. Fermentation often takes place in multiple stages and with different yeast cultures, with the goal not of artificially adding flavors, but rather of removing unwanted characteristics and highlighting clarity, structure, and the natural complexity of the coffee. This laboratory-driven, meticulous approach has brought Lost Origin Coffee Lab significant recognition, including victories at the Best of Panama competition and collaborations with world-class barista and brewers champions. After fermentation, the coffee undergoes an exceptionally slow, multi-stage drying process at low temperatures in rooms equipped with HEPA filters and humidity control. This drying phase can take up to one month and ensures outstanding stability, quality, and the distinctive character of each small production batch.