ETHIOPIA

Ethiopia is widely regarded as the origin of coffee itself, producing cups celebrated for their extraordinary complexity and natural sweetness.

This selection hails from the Worka Sakaro Washing Staion located in the Gedeo Zone. The washing station works with over 400 smallholder farmers in the region. These farmers grow their coffee on the steep mountain slopes at 6,500+ feet above sea level. The coffee is grown in the shade of Birbira, Corsica Africana and Ensete Ventricosum trees. The coffee is picked when the cherries are ripe and then dried on raised beds for 18 to 21 days. Once dried, it is milled to remove the husks and stored in a local warehouse before being transported for final processing and shipment.

This lot follows suit with the wave of groups now experimenting with various methods of anaerobic processing. It follows all the same steps as a typical naturally processed coffee, except after the coffee is floated, it is placed into special plastic bags, flushed with carbon dioxide and nitrogen gas, and monitored over 3-7 days until fermented adequately. Specific timing varies based on mucilage content and environmental conditions. Once the cherries reach the desired pH and color, they are removed from the bags and transferred to drying tables to complete the process.

Region
Gedeo Zone, Worka Sakaro

Altitude
6,560+ feet above sea level

Varietal
Heirloom Ethiopian varietals

Process
Anaerobic Natural

Tasting Notes
Black cherry and blueberry

Roast
Medium