Ethiopia washed Coffee Offering, September 2023

chuan gao 24.September.2023

In the world of specialty coffee a washed process Ethiopian is not at all uncommon. Yet for us it is still a very special thing, something that continues to both satisfy and surprise.

We have sourced coffee from the Uraga washing station in Guji before and we are delighted to serve coffee from this special region again! Unlike last year the coffee that we now bring you is of a washed process that was harvested from November to January.

Although there is some variability in the exact steps that constitute a washed process coffee in Ethiopia, in general, coffee cherries are depulped on the same day that they are received. They are then left in open air fermentation tanks for 8-12 hours, after which they are washed to remove their mucilage. Finally, they are spread on raised beds to dry for 5-15 days, depending on weather conditions.

In general, coffee from this region in Ethiopia is not able to be traced back to a single farmer. This is because in Guji, alike much of Ethiopia, washing stations are serviced by hundreds if not thousands of individual producers that each have access to their own small (less than 1/2 hectare) farms. Farmers will deliver their cherries to the washing stations where they are sorted, weighed and paid for. It is then up to the washing station to process the cherries as they like. Often the cherries will be blended with the cherries of many other farmers as they are received on that day, making individual farmer traceability practically impossible.

This coffee is an Heirloom Ethiopian, which is to say that it is comprised of a mix of varietals that are native to Ethiopia. Take a closer look at the beautiful beans and you can see the variation in size and shape. Such variations can make roasting Ethiopian coffees more challenging but we feel we have done this roast justice!

In the aroma we find jasmine-like florals & citrus . In the cup we find nashi pear, white nectarine and white sugar with a silky body.