Biru Bekele, 72 Hour Special Yeast Fermentation, Washed

This is our third offering from Samuel Demisse and his team at Keffa Coffee.  Samuel grew up in Ethiopia and has made it his life’s work to bring the most exceptional offerings from Ethiopia to the rest of the world.

This coffee comes to us from the Guji region, and specifically the Biru Bekele drying station.  It is a washed coffee that has undergone a special fermentation.  After the coffee is picked, the cherries are fermented with a special yeast (Intenso) at a ratio of 1kg of yeast to 160kg green coffee.  The cherries ferment for 72 hours, and then are sent through the rest of the process for a washed coffee- stripping the cherry mucilage from the seed and putting the parchment coffee out to dry for a period of 16 days.

With this particular selection, we were most impressed by the floral and juicy qualities presented.  We got a lot of bright “red” fruit flavors that ranged from raspberry to strawberry to cherry depending on the brewing method.  In each method we also were enamored with the potent floral characteristics that presented as jasmine, lilac, and lavender.  From hot to cool, the cup features sweetness reminiscent of earl grey tea (bergamot) and honey.

• COUNTRY: Ethiopia

• REGION: Odo Shakiso, Guji

• ELEVATION: 6500 ft

• PROCESS: 72 Hour Yeast Fermentation, Washed

• VARIETALS: Heirloom Ethiopia

• This coffee is best 10-25 days after it was roasted.