Ethiopia Gelana Abayan Natural

Privately owned communal wetmill, owned by Israel Degfa, in the Gelana Abaya area of Yirgacheffe. They are collecting and buying cherries from variouse smallholders.They are working here to increase the quality and have better preparation at the washing station.

Yirgacheffe is known for its clean, floral and juicy washed coffees and “high quality” sundried with genuine and unique fruit and berry flavors. The area where this coffee is grown is in our opinion having some of the most complex and intense coffee flavors in Yirgacheffe. There are mainly small family plots of both recently planted trees of improved varietals and traditional old varieties.

Cultivars: A mix of local varieties. Such as native coffee of forest origin transferred to family smallholder plots. The varieties are referred to collectively as Ethiopian Heirloom, which is a myriad of local native Typica hybrids and new improved varietals based on the old strains.

The first phase of drying is crucial and are in relatively thin layers on the tables to avoid fermented flavors and it should reach what’s called the “raisin” stage at about 25% moist in a few days. It’s important to move the cherries carefully to avoid damage on the fruit. In the second phase, from 25% – 12% moist, the layers are built up, and it’s constantly moved during daytime, and needs some rest mid-day and at night. An uncontrolled drying sequence can increase the very fruity flavors and make it unstable, and if too slow it can create mold and other off flavors. It’s a costly process that requires good labor and attention if you want it at the highest quality levels.

Drying: Skin drying the first hours under shade. The parchments is dried in the sun for about 10-12 days, depending on the weather conditions, on African drying beds. Coffees are covered in shade nets during midday and at night. Soil: Red brown, fertile and well drained

Country: Ethiopia
Region: Yirgacheffe
Elevation: 1,900 metres above sea level
Species: Arabica
Coffee Cultivar: Heirloom
Processing: Natural