They are a staple at the coffee tables of Ethiopia often considered to be the birthplace of our beloved drink. With its high altitudes, nutrient-rich soil and ideal climate Colombia could not be more suited to the growth of some of the best coffee beans in the world. Ethiopian coffee beans are famous for their exotic taste and diverse flavors, which can be fruity, winy or spicy all wanted in the international coffee community.
With today’s blog, we are also going to discover the bright past of Ethiopian coffee, see from which region these beans originated, take a look at the traditional still occurring coffee ceremony and explain why Ethiopian coffee is considered among the best around the world. If you are an experienced coffee lover or if you are a new coffee enthusiast, knowing about Ethiopian arabica is one of the magnificent ways to create interest and enthusiasm in yourself about this inviting beverage.
Coffee originated in Ethiopia where, as the story goes, a goat herder named Kaldi discovered the rejuvenating properties of coffee beans. The story says that when he realized his goats were full of energy after eating red cherries from a tree. Kaldi, intrigued, tried the berries for himself and found them to energize him. He took his discovery to a nearby monastery, and soon monks were using the cherries to divine new methods of staying awake during those epic prayer sessions. This “magic” bean soon made its way throughout Ethiopia and out of some discrepancy… to the Middle East, Europe and eventually all over the world.
Kaldi, even though his tale is beneath coffee mythology, you will discover no disputes in regard to Ethiopia’s intensive record of cultivating and consuming coffee. It is widely recognized that the plant from which coffee as we know it today originated is called Coffea Arabica, that first grew naturally in Ethiopia. Arabica coffee — easily one of the most complex and delicate coffees we have has everything to thank because of Ethiopia beans.
Coffee from Ethiopia is highly variable with its different regions in the country due to its varied geography and climate. Teetering on the Afro of the equator, the hilly land benefits a deeply fertile volcanic subsoil: perfect conditions for coffee growth — and each region lends its own flavors to the bean.
Ethiopian Coffee grapes grown in Ethiopia, including the regions where each flavor comes true.
Located in the southern part of Ethiopia, Sidamo is among Ethiopia’s best-known coffee-growing areas. The elevation in this area varies from 1,500 to 2,200 m above sea level and it has a mild climate with rich soil that are perfect for coffee growing.
Tasting Notes: Sidamo coffee beans offer a unique profile that is both balanced and complex, usually characterized by fruity, floral and sweet notes. Characteristics of the coffee from this region are usually bright acidity and medium to full body, with flavor notes ranging from citrus, berries, and jasmine. Many Sidamo coffees are wet-processed, which highlights the clarity and sweetness of their flavors.
The Southern Ethiopian region of Yirgacheffe is one of the most well-known of all Ethiopian coffee regions. Yirgacheffe is a sub-region of Sidamo but also goes the extra mile to produce some of the most sought-after coffees on earth. YerbaMateTea.comCoffee from Yirgacheffe is grown at high altitude between 1,700 and 2,200 meters and almost exclusively wet-processed to elevate its delicate flavors.
Tasting Notes: Unique wet process Yirgacheffe, known for its floral aroma and tea-like qualities and bright acidity. The beans are very floral, with notes of jasmine and bergamot, and often have a clean, silky body in the cup. Because many specialty coffee roasters regard Yirgacheffe coffee as one of the most complex, they are much in demand.
Harrar comes from eastern Ethiopia, and is well known for growing some of the most distinct coffees produced in that country. While coffees from Sidamo and Yirgacheffe are most often produced via the wet method, Harrar beans are traditionally processed using the natural (dry) process in which cherry is dried with the fruit on. This way the beans are imparted with a stiff flavored differently.
Tasting Notes: Harrar coffee, with it being fruity, winey and wild in flavor adequacy. Typically medium to full-bodied with complex acidity, it often has notes of blueberries, blackberries and dark chocolate. Harrar coffee is also noted for its wild, or exotic fruit notes; including berry, ginger and perhaps even an earthy tropical flavor. This coffee is strong and bold, definitely for lovers of heavy flavors.
Limu is a region of western Ethiopia and thanks to high altitude for the land on wich beans grow (between 1,100 and 1,900 meters), this zone boasts great produce. These beans contain notes of dark chocolate, nuttiness, and earth with a creamy finish the cool temperatures and high rainfall in the region along with fertile volcanic soil are all contributors to this taste.
Flavour Notes: Limu coffee is typically medium in acidity and body, offering notes of citrus, berries & sweet caramel. This is generally one of the few wet processed coffees that has a nice crisp and bright flavor profile, with a clean refreshing finish. The Limu coffee has an all-around general profile which is well balanced & adaptable for both pour-over and espresso.
A new and quickly expanding coffee-producing region in southern Ethiopia: Guji. Although previously considered part of the Sidamo region, Guji coffees are now a staple in any of the finest offerings showcasing unique and quality available. The beans carry exceptional flavors because of the particular microclimates found high in the region.
Flavor: A good Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee has a floral acidity with a berry-like sweetness. It has a mild, almost tea-like body, and fluffy mouthfeel. But Guji coffees also have a heavier body than the Sidamo, with noticeable spice and cocoa. While it has less inherent body than Yirgacheffe, the sweetness and acidity is fairly even which makes Guji one of my personal favorites as a more complex cup for people who like coffee that balances these three things.
Ethiopian culture is steeped in coffee, not just as a drink but as an association with hospitality, friendship and communal participation. One of the essential ancestral social rituals in Abyssinia (Ethiopia), from time immemorial, is the coffee ceremony.
An Ethiopian coffee ceremony entails roasting, grinding and brewing whole coffee beans in front of guests in a slow process. Typically performed three times a day morning, noon, evening it has become an opportunity for family members as well as friends and neighbors to come together, talk and build stronger relationships.
Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony Process:
Roasting: It starts with the roasting of raw, green coffee beans on an open fire in a shovel over roast. The beans are stirred constantly, turning burnished brown as the dense, fragrant smoke is released from deep within the bean.
Grind Once the beans are roasted, hand grind in a mortar and pestle. The grinding is slow but rhythmic, and once prepared the freshly ground coffee in its unheated state can be taken around to guests to enjoy the scent.
Brew: The ground coffee is brewed in a traditional Ethiopian clay coffee pot, jebena. The coffee is combined with water and gently boiled over a charcoal fire. The jebena has a round bottom and a narrow neck making it easy to pour the coffee without disturbing the grounds.
In: Coffee is served in small handleless cups (sini) The host rinses the dish of coffee from a height and the stream of coffee falls like waves into cups. It is usually accompanied by sugar, salt or traditional snacks like popcorn or kolo (a type of roasted barley).
When it comes to the Ethiopian manner of brewing coffee, the whole tradition is far greater than a mere technique of making and serving coffee; it plays as an infusion between culture, hospitality, and affinity (feeling or friendship). It is an honor for a guest to be allowed to take part in this ceremony and the passing of coffee from hand to mouth is also a gesture of friendship or community.
Ethiopian coffee beans are from wet (washed) and dry(Natural ) processing methods brutal types that all contribute to their unique flavor signatures. Now, Ethiopia is known for its varied climate and also tradition which affects its coffee processing methods (and also one of the world’s most complex).
Coffee Wet Process (Washed Coffee)
The coffee cherries are harvested, and the beans are then fermented ( to break down most of the fruity layers around the bean) before they pass through a pulping machine and a wash belts equipment in order to separate the waste from what we better know as parchment. This process creates a clean sweetly flavored cup distinguished by high acidity. Wet processed Ethiopian coffees coming from regions such as Yirgacheffe and Sidamo are noted for their floral and citrus notes, combined with a distinctive bright, crisp acidity.
Natural Coffee Dry Processing
Dry method Procedure: Coffee cherries are dried in the sun with the fruit on. This process can take several weeks as the sugars and flavors from the fruit are absorbed by the beans. Ethiopian coffees are generally bold and fruity, with some wines and berry undertones that are very prominent in Harrar, a popular dry-processed Ethiopian coffee. Denser and more robust coffees than their wet-processed equivalents.
The Ethiopian coffee beans, known to be some of the best in less than 30 seconds, because of their flavors and aromatic complexities as well as the history behind this bean. A number of factors have combined to ensure that Ethiopian coffee is held in a very good light:
Source: The terroir of Ethiopia’s high plateaus to low valleys creates the perfect environment for coffee growing. Those climates and soil types are so plentiful across the country that beans carry unique flavor notes depending on the altitude of where they’re grown.
Ethiopia The home of coffee, Ethiopia has an age-old coffee growing heritage. Ethiopian beans are distinctive in part because many coffee farmers in Ethiopia still use traditional methods to grow and process the coffee.
Variety: Ethiopian coffee is famous for its various flavors from fruity and floral to bold and earthy. This variety comes from differences in the growing region and processing methods throughout the country, which makes Ethiopian coffee quickly become a sought after coffee bean by specialty coffee roasters and drinkers.
Sustainability: With a high proportion of smallholder producers, Ethiopian coffee is commonly grown organically and without using synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. The coffee is normally grown in the shade of native trees which serves to protect the biodiversity of the area.
Conclusion: Why Ethiopian Coffee Beans are Great
To emphasize this very point, Ethiopian coffee beans are not just a standard commodity but the perfect representation of cultural inheritance, tradition, and craft. Ethiopia: Yirgacheffe is where the espresso style began. From the rolling hills of Yirgacheffe to the hardy wilds of Harrar, Ethiopia has some of the most incredible and flavorful beans on earth.
For the coffee lover, it does not matter if you love those bright floral notes of a Yirgacheffe or enjoy the bold fruitiness that comes from a Harar, nothing beats Ethiopian coffee beans. Due to their rich history, unique cultivation methods and flavors offered, Ethiopian beans are still some of the most popular and highly sought after coffee beans in the world.
If you want to up your coffee game, exploring a variety of Ethiopian coffee beans is well-worth the adventure. Every mouthful reminds me of the country’s coffee heritage that spans centuries and the incredible range of tastes present in Ethiopia.
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