14/04/2022
Ethiopian Coffee BLENDS AND BRANDS
Ethiopia boasts coffee varieties that consistently rank highly among the world’s best coffees. These are often categorized by region and include:
Yirgacheffe: One of the most renowned coffees in the world, this wet-processed blend is high in caffeine, low in acidity, rich-tasting, and filled with fragrance. Citrus and floral are the dominant tastes in this blend. Many purport that drinking Yirgacheffe coffee is more like drinking elegant tea than actual coffee.
Yirgacheffe coffee can be further classified by microregion. Coffees from the Adado, Beriti, Kochere, and Konga areas are simple with a floral, fruity, and citrusy taste, while Aricha and Chelchele coffees are sweeter and have more complex flavors like toffee or almond as well.
Ethiopian Harrar: As highlighted above, the dry-processed coffee from this region yields a high-quality brew with a fruity flavor similar to that of a dry red wine. One popular brand of Harrar coffee is Koffee Kult’s Ethiopian Harrar coffee, a medium roast with a balanced/full body and smooth hints of dark chocolate and blueberry.
Ethiopian Sidamo: Coffees from Sidamo are wet-processed blends distinguished by a lemony flavor and floral aroma with hints of wood and spice. It’s a medium-bodied blend with a wine-like acid level. Sidamo coffees are sweet and have a soft and bright aftertaste.
Ethiopian Limu: Considered a premium gourmet coffee, Limu washed coffee is grown at elevations from 3,600 to 6,200 feet. It has a sharp taste yet is low in acid and has a medium, balanced body. Its vibrant flavor is sweet, fruity, winey, and noticeably spicy.
Djimmah Coffee: Also known as Jimma Coffee, Djimmah hails from the country’s Illubabor and Kaffa regions. Dry-processing the coffee yields a slightly unpleasant taste, but the wet-processed coffee is low in acid and has hints of stone fruit, berry, and an earthy cocoa aftertaste.
Nekemte: Ethiopian Nakemet coffee is grown in the regions of Ghimbi and Wollega and has a brew like that of Harrar longberry varieties – low acidity with a balanced body, but with its own unique fruit taste.