About This Coffee
Smallholder farmers cultivate local landraces and JARC varieties at the towering altitudes of 1,960+ meters above sea level in Dumerso, Yirgacheffe. In this region, coffee accounts for over 90% of total income for local families, making it vital that farmers receive fair prices and that coffee is carefully processed to add value.
Sisters Hirut and Mahder Berhanu have over 20 years of experience in coffee production. They acquired the Dumerso washing station in 2010. The station was built in 1998 but hadn’t operated in years. Hirut and Mahder reopened Dumerso in 2013 and have been producing value-added coffees ever since.
Carefully cultivated and processed, this Natural lot embodies all the beauty of the Yirgacheffe region. For this coffee, expect a classic Natural profile with sweet fruit notes and lively acidity.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
Farmers selectively handpick ripe, red cherry and deliver it to Dumerso washing station. At intake, cherry is inspected and laid on raised beds to dry. Workers rake cherry frequently to ensure even drying. They also cover cherry during the hottest part of the day and overnight, to prevent condensation. It takes approximately 14 to 21 days for cherry to dry.
Grade 2
In the Ethiopian grading system, grade 2 refers to the cup quality as well as physical quality of a coffee. A grade 2 allows between four and 13 full defects per 300gr green sample. The cup typically has fruity and clean characteristics without any off-flavors.
Ethiopia Sidamo 2 is a classic in every coffee range and is especially popular in blends. The cup quality can be very surprising for prices well below the grade 1 price point. For us, grade 2 coffee typically sits around an 83-84 cup score.
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.