Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Peaberry Coffee

Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Peaberry Coffee Bean

Regarded as the cradle of coffee, Yirgacheffe requires little introduction. Its ancient landrace varieties thrive in smallholder coffee gardens, which are frequently organic and cultivated by farmers who practice intercropping to optimize the rich soil of this region.

The majority of Yirgacheffe farmers are smallholders with plots of land spanning less than three hectares. Typically, coffee cherries are sold to centralized washing stations, a method that aids in quality control and enables wet mills to highlight the unique terroir of Yirgacheffe.

Ethiopian Washed Processing Method

In Ethiopia, the “washed” or “wet” process for coffee involves meticulous sorting of cherries to ensure uniform ripeness and eliminate any defective ones. The seeds, or coffee beans, are then separated from their skins using de-pulping machines. Subsequently, they undergo fermentation in tanks to remove the mucilage, which consists of the remaining fruit residues. At the Chelbesa wet mill, pulped beans undergo a 72-hour fermentation process, followed by washing and an additional hour of soaking, before being dried on raised beds for 12 days.

Washed processing has gained widespread popularity due to its ability to showcase the unique terroir of the coffee. This method allows the growing conditions, regional characteristics, and the true essence of the coffee to be fully expressed in the cup profile.