Ethiopian coffees are consistently judged to be some of the best beans in the world. Their pronounced flavor profiles make it easy for even the numbest of tongue to taste notes of blueberry, hints of citrus fruit, or undertones of nuts. And while it is almost universally recognized that Ethiopian coffees are the bomb, the reasons why are not often discussed. With that in mind we are going to dig deep into the Ethiopian coffee scene and give you the top three reasons why they are some of our favorites.
Incredible Farmer Cooperatives
We partner with two incredible farmer cooperatives in Ethiopia: The Sidama Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union (SCFCU) and the The Negele Gorbitu cooperative located in the Yirgacheffe region. Both of these groups have been around for over two decades and have turned their organizations into highly functional groups. Coordinating tens of thousands of growers (seriously!) is no easy feat, but both of these co-ops make it happen. SCFCU is a secondary-level co-op that collaborates with primary co-ops functioning the village level. Negele Gorbitu is part of the renowned Oromia Cooperative, known for their high-quality beans. For both co-ops, you can taste the results of their hard work and dedication to their craft.
Distinctive Regional Profiles
There are three major coffee growing regions as well as many important subregions in Ethiopia and they all are known for unique flavor profiles. Sidama is known for being a sweet, full-bodied coffee with a nice acidity and a complex profile. Yirgacheffe is bright and often has nutty and citrusy notes that cannot be found in any other coffee. Harrar is known for its blueberry fragrance and and floral acidity. Taken together there is no other country with more diversity in coffee flavor profiles.
The Birthplace Of Coffee
Perhaps the reason Ethiopia has such a diversity of arabica coffee is because it is the legendary birthplace of the bean — coffee has been growing wild there since forever. The legend passed down is that a young man named Kaldi noticed his goats eating cherries from a bush and saw that the fruit made them dance and jump around energetically. Over time he and others experimented with the seeds inside the cherries and created the world’s first coffee. From there the elixir spread to the Arabian Peninsula and then to the rest of the world.
Check out our incredible Ethiopian coffees and see what all of the fuss is about — you will not be sorry. And from now until Wednesday 6/30 take 20% off any of our Ethiopian offerings using coupon code AFRICA20 at check out. Enjoy, but please make sure your goats drink it responsibly.
