This is our first arrival of the season from the renowned Chelbessa site in Gedeb, Yirgacheffe. We have been working with Chelbessa for many years now, and its arrival on the menu is always a sign of summer. In the cup we find watermelon, peach, and citrus.
Ethiopian Landrace
Gedeb, Gedeo
2,200 masl
January 2026
Hand-picked at peak ripeness. Floated to further remove defects. De-pulped. Grade 1 density separated. Fermented underwater for 36 hours. Dried on raised beds for 10-14 days.
In Ethiopia, we have been refining our ability to identify, isolate, and separate unique coffees, and this lot from Chelbessa is a reflection of that progress. A decade ago, much of the coffee from Gedeo would have simply been sold under the well-known name of Yirgacheffe. Today, we can explore the region’s distinct woredas individually, including Dilla, Dilla Zuria, Bule, Wenago, Yirgacheffe, Kochere, and Gedeb. Gedeb, the southernmost woreda, has only been producing coffee for one or two generations, with trees that are relatively young by Ethiopian standards. The region continues to fascinate us, and we look forward to continuing our exploration of its remarkable potential.
Ethiopia is widely acknowledged as where coffee originated, and its production continues to represent a significant part of the country’s economy. DNA testing has confirmed over 60 distinct varieties growing in Ethiopia, making it home to the most coffee biodiversity of any region in the world. Given the tradition of coffee production in Ethiopia and the political interworkings of the Ethiopian coffee trade, it is virtually impossible to get single variety coffee lots from Ethiopia. This is changing, albeit very slowly. Most Ethiopian coffees are blends of the many Ethiopian varieties, and referred to simply as 'Ethiopian Landrace'.
The cost of getting a coffee from cherry to beverage varies enormously depending on its place of origin and the location of its consumption. The inclusion of price transparency is a starting point to inform broader conversation around the true costs of production and the sustainability of specialty coffee as a whole.