Franz Zeimetz, the mastermind behind  Lost Origin Coffee Lab  in Panama, is an innovator by nature, who is constantly pursuing new ways to push the technical limits of coffee processing. He brings unto the table an engineering precision, craft beer brewing principles, and bio-fermentation expertise to high-elevation Panamanian coffee.

The Story: Bridging Craft Brewing and Specialty Coffee 

Franz Zeimetz’s entry into specialty coffee stems from an unconventional background rooted in craft beer brewing and process engineering. Recognizing that post-harvest coffee processing often lacked scientific predictability, Franz established Lost Origin Coffee Lab in the heart of Panama City. 

Rather than owning a single traditional estate, Lost Origin operates as an elite central processing hub. Franz collaborates directly with top-tier Panamanian producers, the team focus on sourcing pristine cherries from legendary regions like Boquete and Volcán, to processes them inside a state-of-the-art facility equipped with custom temperature-controlled bioreactors, craft yeast strains, and real-time environmental sensors. The result is a total transformation of how flavor profiles are crafted in Panamanian coffee.

Agronomy Meets Precision Fermentation

Franz Zeimetz treats coffee cherries not as a raw crop, but as a delicate substrate for micro-biological expression. His background in brewing allows him to control metabolic variables that most processors leave to chance.

His signature approach combines:

• Bioreactor Precision: Utilizing food-grade, temperature-regulated stainless steel tanks where oxygen levels, pressure, and thermal curves are strictly monitored.
• Targeted Inoculation: Applying isolated craft beer yeast, wine yeasts, and custom lactic acid bacteria to steer fermentation toward clean, vibrant, and elegant flavor trajectories.
• Dehydrator & Controlled Drying:  Utilizing custom climate-controlled drying rooms to lock in volatile aromatic esters and guarantee flawless structural stability in every lot.

Sensory Profile & Cup Expectations

Coffees processed by Franz Zeimetz at Lost Origin deliver incredible structural purity combined with loud, complex flavor aromatics. 

Depending on the lot and yeast strain applied, expect cups characterized by: 

• High-Purity Panamanian Profiles: Bright jasmine florals, crisp white peach, candied lemon, and bergamot layered with wild stone fruits and silky tropical undertones.
• Texture & Finish: Exceptional clarity, malic acidity reminiscent of sparkling cider, and an exceptionally clean, sweet finish.

Our team got the chance to visit the Lab in Panama. We took it as a chance to learn more about the process of our coffees and to finally talk to the master-mind behind it all. 

We regularly feature exclusive micro-lots processed by Franz Zeimetz at Lost Origin Coffee Lab in our lineup. Explore our current releases to sample the pinnacle of Panamanian processing innovation.