About This Coffee
Guduba Wet Mill was built in 2012 in the village of Benti Nenka. The village and mill are located in the well-known Guji district of Hambela Wamena. More than 525 farmers contribute cherries to the station. Most farmers farm about 1 to 2 hectares at the truly incredible heights of 1,900 to 2,170 meters above sea level.
The owner, Eyasu Morasa, is a native of Dilla, the region in SNNPR (Southern Nations, Nationalities & Peoples Region) that was a central hub for coffee traveling from Southern Ethiopia. Eyasu has over a decade of experience in coffee wet milling.
High altitude and fertile soils allow cherries to develop a vibrant and nuanced flavor profile, unique to the Guji region. This Natural lot is carefully processed, resulting in a sweet, fruit-forward profile with delicate florality and tea-like aroma.
Cultivation
Farming methods in Guji remain largely traditional. Guji farmers typically intercrop their coffee plants with other food crops. This method is common among smallholders because it maximizes land use and provides food for their families.
In addition to remaining traditionally intercropped, most farms are also traditional and 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.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
Due to the size of most plots, coffee is typically handpicked by landowners and their families. Cherries are selectively hand-harvested before being delivered to a collection center or directly to the washing station. At intake, cherries are sorted to ensure uniformity and quality before being moved to dry on raised beds. The raised beds ensure maximum airflow to keep fermentation low, resulting in rich sweetness. Coffee is raked frequently throughout this process to ensure even drying. It typically takes 15 days for the cherries to dry, depending on the weather.
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.