REGION: Yirgacheffe
ALTITUDE: 2150-2200 MASL
VARIETAL: Heirloom
PROCESS: Natural
Ethiopian coffee production is profoundly influenced by the country's three main seasons. The Bega season (October-January) is the long dry period, crucial for coffee harvesting and processing. The Belg season (February-May) brings the first rains, essential for coffee flowering and early fruit development. The Krempt season (June-September) sees heavy rainstorms from the east, crucial for the later stages of coffee fruit development and ripening. By the end of September, the rains cease abruptly, allowing the coffee fruits to ripen, leading to a bustling harvest period by November.
The coffee is naturally grown under shade trees, primarily Ensete (false banana tree). The best cherries are bought from nearby farmers. Coffee is initially floated to remove quakers, then placed on drying beds for 12-15 days. Green beans are handpicked by local women. The grade 3 is coffee that cups 84 + with a greater defect count of between 13-25 defects.
Ethiopia first started exporting coffee in the 15th century. It was brought by Somali merchants to Yemen for Sufi mystics, as they drank it to concentrate better on their chanting. Today, coffee export makes up around 70% of the county's export earnings, and it is estimated that a quarter of the Ethiopian population works within the coffee industry.
Almost all coffee is grown on small farms, or ''garden coffees'' that cover less than a hectare and producing around 300kg of coffee per year. This is also one of the only countries with wild grown coffee that is harvested from native forest trees. Even the famous Geisha varietal can be found growing wild here.
Ethiopia is famous for producing incredible sun dried naturally processed coffees. However, over half of all Ethiopian coffee is processed using this method. The coffee cherry is pulped to removed the fruit, fermented and then washed.
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