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Tasting Notes: Tropical Fruit, Blackberry, Mandarin Orange, Star Fruit, Winey
Roast: Light
Varietal: Wolisho, Dega
Process: Natural
Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Organic Grade 1 Natural Coffee
The Chelbesa kebele (village) is a renowned producing area in Yirgacheffe in the Gedeo Zone of Ethiopia’s Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region (SNNPR). Here, shade-grown coffee thrives under a dense, layered, semi-forest canopy. The Chelbesa wet mill was established in 2019 with the goal of sourcing fresh coffee cherries from hundreds of nearby smallholders. Over 760 producers contributed to this Grade 1 natural processed coffee.
Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Coffee
Considered by many to be the birthplace of coffee, Yirgacheffe needs little introduction. Ancient landrace varieties dominate the smallholder coffee gardens that are often organic by default, tended by farmers who intercrop food crops to maximize the potential of this region’s fertile soil.
Most Yirgacheffe farmers are smallholders farming fewer than three hectares. Coffee is generally sold as cherry to centralized washing stations. This practice helps control quality and allows wet mills to bring out the distinctive Yirgacheffe terroir.
Natural Processed Ethiopian Coffee
In the natural process, only the ripest coffee cherries are harvested. The entire procedure requires thorough planning because drying naturals is a slow process that can take up to four weeks. Coffee cherries are dried whole, without removing any of the fruit. During this stage, the coffee is turned regularly to increase airflow, support even drying, and prevent spoilage. After the cherries have been dried, the seeds (or coffee beans) are removed from the fruit and prepared for export.
Ethiopian Coffee Varietals
Thousands of different landrace varietals still grow wild in the mountainous forests of Ethiopia. The Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC) is working to research and identify unique varietals and strains like Wolisho and Dega, two varieties named after indigenous trees in the region.
Ethiopia Coffee Quality Grading
Coffee grading in Ethiopia is based on the combined result of physical qualities and cup qualities, including altitude, imperfections, and flavor. Grades range from 1 (high) to 9 (low), with grades 1 and 2 considered specialty. High-quality natural coffees from Yirgacheffe like this one often express hallmark characteristics of bright citrus acidity and excellent sweetness.
Ethiopia Green Coffee
Ethiopia, the homeland of Arabica coffee, might only produce 3-4% of the world’s coffee supply, but the variety of character that comes from this origin is astounding. Ethiopia green coffee is celebrated for its bright fruit and floral flavors, expressed with exceptional acidity and sweetness. Out of the many coffee-growing districts in the country, a few stand out from the crowd with their highly distinctive cup profiles, like Yirgacheffe, Sidama, and Guji.
