COFFEE BIOGRAPHY
THE COFFEE COMES FROM SMALL HOLDER COFFEE FARMERS IN THE GORO BEDESSA VILLAGE, IN THE WOREDA OF HAMBELA WAMENA, A HIGH ALTITUDE REGION THAT TOPS OUT AT 2100 METERS ABOVE SEA LEVEL.
THESE LOTS ARE MADE UP OF COFFEE FROM SEVERAL HUNDRED DIFFERENT FARMERS FROM THIS VILLAGE, MOST WITH ONLY A COUPLE HUNDRED COFFEE TREES OR LESS. THE PEOPLE IN THIS REGION ARE KNOWN AS GUJI OROMO, AND COFFEE FARMING HAS BEEN A CORE PART OF THE CULTURE IN THE HIGHLAND AREAS FOR MANY YEARS. GEOGRAPHICALLY, CULTURALLY, AND IN TERMS OF CUP FLAVORS, THESE SOUTHERN COFFEES HAVE A DIFFERENT FLAVOR PROFILE WHILE MAINTAINING THE SAME GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS; CITRUS AND FLORAL ACCENTS, A LIVELY CUP CHARACTER.
THE STATION IS RUN BY ISMAEL AREDO FROM KAYON MOUNTAIN COFFEE, A NAME YOU MIGHT BE FAMILIAR WITH FROM OUR RECENT NATURAL PROCESS ETHIOPIA. YEP. SAME GUY, EXCEPT THIS TIME THE COFFEE IS NOT FROM HIS FARM. HE ONLY PROCESSES IT. THAT'S WHY WE'VE CHOSEN TO CALL IT AFTER THE VILLAGE THE FARMERS LIVE IN: GORO BEDESSA.
THEY DO A FANTASTIC JOB CONTROLLING QUALITY, CONSISTENTLY PROVIDING US WITH SOME OF OUR TOP SCORING ETHIOPIAN COFFEES. SORTING OUT IMPERFECT COFFEE CHERRY STARTS ON DELIVERY, AND EXTENDS ALL THE WAY TO THE DRYING TABLES. FARMERS MUST HAND SORT THE CHERRY FOR DEFECTS BEFORE DELIVERING TO THE WASHING STATION. THE CHERRY IS THEN FLOATED IN TANKS OF WATER TO CATCH ANY UNDERRIPE COFFEE BEFORE THE PROCESSING BEGINS. THIS IS A WASHED PROCESS COFFEE, WHICH DIFFERENTIATES IT SIGNIFICANTLY FROM OUR OTHER ETHIOPIA OFFERING. IN THIS PROCESS, THE CHERRY IS FIRST REMOVED FROM THE SEED USING A DEPULPING MACHINE. THEN, THE STICKY MUCILAGE LAYER THAT SURROUNDS THE BEAN IS REMOVED BY FERMENTING IT FOR 24-36 HOURS IN WATER, AFTER WHICH IT IS "WASHED" AWAY WITH CLEAN WATER. FINALLY, THE COFFEE IS DRIED ON RAISED BEDS FOR UPWARDS OF 2 WEEKS, DEPENDING ON THE WEATHER.