From the region around Gedeb in Yirgacheffe. This coffee is processed by the Worka washing station. Farmers from around the area deliver their crop (cherries) to the washing station. These farmers pick so called local heirloom varities from their gardens (average farm is smaller than 1 hectar), this results in a mix of all different varietals within the one Lot we buy. When farmers arrive with their cherries, the Worka washing station does a selection based on the ripeness of cherries, not on the variety.

Most farmers in the area intercrop their coffer-plants with other food crop, it maximizes their land use and provides food for the family. Also it can be said that most farmers are organic by default, by using very few (if any) fertilizers or pesticides. Work at the farm is done manually most often by the family themselves.

While infrastructure in rural Ethiopia is very basic, Yirgacheffe (and other parts of Ethiopia) do favor great conditions for coffee growing. Ethiopia, the Arabica coffee plant and the coffee beverage are interconnected since long in history.

For this specific Lot we acquired, the Worka washing station packed the fully ripe cherries into large plastic bag sealed off from air without oxygen and kept for 24h fermenting (so called anaerobic processing). After this fermentation the cherries were laid out on drying beds for 2-3 weeks in direct sunlight for drying. By different ways of processing like in this case 'Anaerobic', the washing station can potentially produce all different kind of flavor profiles of a coffee.

We have roasted this coffee as a medium roast, focusing on a round and sweet cup with enough brightness in the cup. It produces an intense cup, fragrant with sweet berry notes, dried plum and bit of funk. 

This a coffee from the farmers Mathias and Johel Manghu (father and son), they grow and process their cherries at their farm 'Hacienda San Isidro Labrador', which is situated in the hills of Dota in the Terrazu province of Coasta Rica.

Although the family bought the land 40 years ago, it was not ready for coffee growing (yet) since the elevation was too high. But that last 10 years due to global warming they noticed that the area became more suitable for growing coffee. Eventually just five years ago they decided to start planting coffee trees at this plot of land. We have to mention that Johel Manghu was a succesfull coffee producer in the years before with another plot of land they owned. The familiy is very seasoned in coffee growing.

At San Isidro's harvest they prepare different lots determined by way of processing and variety. We acquired this lot of Typica variety and processed anaerobic. This coffee stands out on every cupping table we prepare, it has intense sweetness, high complexity, and aroma's of ripe boozy tropical fruits. To me it is one of the remarkable coffees of last year harvest (2020). "

Hoppas att du, som oss, njöt mycket av Jeroens personliga berättelse om dessa två kaffe, och visst blir koppen lite extra god när man vet mer om kaffets bakgrundshistoria?