About This Coffee
Haro Sorsa washing station was built in 2011 by a local producer named Eyasu and later purchased by Abebe Mulugeta. Today, 215 farmers deliver cherry to the station. In total, they cultivate approximately 405 hectares at an average of 2,200 to 2,400 meters above sea level. These extraordinary altitudes provide the ideal conditions for cultivating sweet, dense cherry.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
Farmers selectively handpick ripe, red cherry and deliver it to the station. At intake, cherry is visually inspected and any damaged or underripe cherry is removed. Only ripe cherry is pulped. Once pulped, coffee is fermented in concrete tanks for 36 to 48 hours. Following fermentation, parchment is washed in clean water and laid on raised beds to sundry. Parchment is raked frequently to ensure even drying. It takes approximately 7 to 10 days for parchment to dry.
Ethiopia Grade 1
Grades in Ethiopia depend on visual inspection for defects and on cup quality. Grade 1 is considered the highest quality coffee. Grade 1 and 2 are considered specialty coffee, grades 3-9 are classified as commercial coffee. Grade 1 is free of cup faults and taints and has zero quakers.
Coffee in Ethiopia
While Ethiopia is famous as coffee’s birthplace, today it remains a specialty coffee industry darling for its incredible variety of flavors. While full traceability has been difficult in recent history, new regulations have made direct purchasing possible. We’re partnering directly with farmers to help them produce top quality specialty lots that are now completely traceable, adding value for farmers and roasters, alike.
The exceptional quality of Ethiopian coffee is due to a combination of factors. The genetic diversity of coffee varieties means that we find a diversity of flavor, even between (or within) farms with similar growing conditions and processing. In addition to varieties, processing methods also contribute to end quality. The final key ingredients for excellent coffee in Ethiopia are the producing traditions that have created the genetic diversity, processing infrastructure and great coffee we enjoy today.
Most producers in Ethiopia are smallholders, and the majority continue to cultivate coffee using traditional methods. As a result, most coffee is grown with no chemical fertilizer or pesticide use. Coffee is almost entirely cultivated, harvested and dried using manual systems.