We preserved this coffee by freezing it last fall so that we can now offer a fun treat in the middle of winter while also stays true to our standards of only having fresh coffees. This is a stunning lot from Guji that is lively and expressive. In the cup we find orange blossom florality, ripe stonefruit, and a lively acidity.
Ethiopian Landrace
Guracho, Kercha, Guji
2,200 masl
January, 2022
Hand picked at peak ripeness. Floated to further remove defects. Depulped. Grade 1 density separated. Wet fermented for 12-14 hours. Dried on raised beds for 10-12 days.
Kedir Hassen has worked in coffee throughout his entire adult life. Starting as a coffee farmer, Kedir now oversees several washing and drying stations in southern Ethiopia. He does this under the company name Sibu. The Guracho washing station has 15 fermentation tanks which are shaded from direct sunlight to produce a more consistent fermentation. There are also skin/pre-drying tables, which are a critical step that prevents the parchment from cracking when it is first placed on the drying beds.
Ethiopia is widely acknowledged as where coffee originated, and its production continues to represent about 10% of the country’s gross domestic product. 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.