Raro Guji FW Carbonic Maceration

This Carbonic Maceration coffee comes from farmers delivering cherry to Raro Boda washing station. Located in Guji, an increasingly popular microregion previously a part of Yirgacheffe, Raro Boda produces top-quality coffees for the specialty market. This lot is processed using carbonic maceration, a process that focuses on creating a carbon-dioxide-rich environment for fermenting microbes.

Farming methods in Guji remain largely traditional. Farmers typically intercrop their coffee plants with other food crops, including beans, peas, teff, wheat and enset (false banana), which is a staple in the region’s cuisine. This method is common among smallholders because it maximizes land use and provides food for their families.

In addition to being traditionally intercropped, most farms are also organic-by-default. Farmers in Guji typically use very few—if any—fertilizers or pesticides. Most farm work is done manually and very few tasks are mechanized, even during processing.

Farmers in the region often have a mix of local landrace and varieties developed by the Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC) planted on their farms. 

Ripe, red cherry is selectively handpicked by smallholder farmers and delivered to Raro Boda washing station. At intake, cherry is pulped and coffee is submerged in water in large tanks. Concrete blocks are used to keep coffee fully submerged for 96 hours. This underwater fermentation creates a relatively anaerobic environment that’s rich in carbon dioxide. Following fermentation, parchment is transferred to raised beds to dry. Workers rake parchment frequently to ensure even drying. It takes approximately 2 weeks for parchment to dry.