Ethiopia: Aricha

Farming methods in the region remain largely traditional. Yirgacheffe farmers typically intercrop their coffee plants with other food crops. This method is common among smallholders because it maximizes land use and provides food for their families.

In addition to remaining traditionally intercropped, most farms are also organic-by-default. Farmers in Yirgacheffe typically use very few - if any - fertilizers or pesticides. Most farm work is done manually by the immediate family.

To capitalize on the magnificent climate, that station provides training to help farmers produce better quality cherry. Training focuses on procedures for harvesting and transporting cherry.

Farmers selectively handpick cherry and deliver it to the washing station. At intake, employees hand sort incoming cherry to remove any underripe or damaged cherry.

The cherry is then pulped and fermented for 36 to 48 hours in the station’s 12 standardized fermenting tanks. After fermentation, parchment is washed in clean water and transferred to some of the station’s 280 raised drying beds. Parchment is raked frequently to ensure even drying. It takes approximately 18 days for parchment to dry. The station marks all drying beds with a code that makes it simple to keep track of traceability and processing status.

Grades in Ethiopia depend on visual inspection for defects and on cup quality. Grade 1 is considered the highest quality coffee. Grade 1 and 2 are considered specialty coffee, grades 3-9 are classified as commercial coffee. Grade 1 is free of cup faults and taints and has zero quakers.

Details:

• Variety: Heirloom JARC, 100% Arabica, grade 1
• Cupping score: 87,25
• Altitude: 1925 - 1945m
• Processing: washed
• Notes: Black tea, bergamot, buttery finish
• Quantity: 250 gr or 500 gr beans
• Our coffee bags are 100% recyclable, produced CO2-neutral and can be disposed of in the plastic waste (in Belgium: PMD-bag). Also check out our CoffeeVac containers, which we sell to shop without the use of packaging from us. When using this system (only possible for pick up- or personal delivery-orders), you save a discount per order.
• These beans are roasted on 100% green energy (solar and/or wind).

Foremost, we choose to supply beans. After 15 minutes the aromas of ground coffee are gone. We can grind on request, but it is not something we offer as standard. More info you can find on our blog!

On our website you can discover our range of manual and electric grinders .