The Sidama region is known for producing the most coffee at the highest grades in Ethiopia, and the geography explains why this is. This region spreads across fertile highlands, where half of the land is cultivated. The surrounding rivers and lakes along with the very high elevation results in cool weather and fertile soil. These factors, in combination with over 100 inches of rainfall per year, cause the coffee to ripen slower than in any other region in Ethiopia. There are over 50 cooperatives and 200 washing stations throughout Sidama.
This lot comes from the Duwancho washing station in Sidama.
Coffee is soaked for two hours here before being placed on raised beds. They believe this extended soaking time adds a level of sweetness they hadn't experienced prior to instituting it.
During drying, they specifically told that they try to keep the thickness of cherries as thin as possible to ensure consistency. They place the beds in areas of good airflow and dry slow for up to 30 days.
With the special prep (what the producers generally call “Premium” in Ethiopia) the cherries are collected from a limited number of small-holder farmers.
90% of the cherries are perfectly picked, the right red color. 5% semi red and 5% overripe.
All of it is processed and stored it separately from the other lots. They generally produce a very small number of bags in this way every year.
In most instances, cherries used to produce these lots are collected from a day lot (picked in one day).
Natural coffees in Ethiopia are first sorted for ripeness and quality before being rinsed clean Then they are spread on raised drying beds or tables, where they will be rotated constantly throughout the course of drying.
