About This Coffee
Desta Dukale is dedicated to producing high-quality Natural coffees at his farm in Guji. Located at 2,200 to 2,400 meters above sea level, the high altitude creates the ideal microclimate of the warm days and cool nights that help produce sweet, dense cherry.
Cultivation
In addition to coffee, Desta also grows enset, avocado and apple.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
Desta selectively handpicks ripe, red cherry. He floats cherry to remove any over- or under-ripes and lays it to dry on raised beds. Desta rakes cherry frequently to ensure even drying. It takes approximately 21 days for cherry to dry. Once dry, cherry is rested at a warehouse owned by the exporter, Olkai Coffee Export company, for 2 to 3 months before being milled and prepared for export.
About Guji
Guji coffee has only recently been distinguished from neighboring Sidamo and Yirgacheffe. However, due to their incredible quality and unique profiles, they are quickly gaining international recognition.
The Guji region receives ample rainfall and is marked by steep mountainous terrain: perfect conditions to support the vast array of coffee grown here.
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.