Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Aricha Natural Arabica Green Coffee Beans (1kg)
Our Product Code: GRETHY1
We currently have 236 in stock.
| Location/Origin | Ethiopia |
| Altitude | 1900m |
| Variety | Heirloom |
| Preparation | Natural, Sun Dried |
| Harvest | November to December |
| Owner / Farm | Aricha, Cherab na Betesebu |
| SCA Cup score and notes | 86.5 Cherry, chocolate, orange, fruits, rose, sweet. Chocolate, orange blossom, rose, cherry, apricot. Delicate, good sweetness and flavour. |
Aricha is located in Yirgacheffe district, Gedeo zone in the ‘Southern Nations, Nationalities & Peoples’ (SNNP) region of Ethiopia. Over a number of years the region has developed a distinguised reputation for fine coffees, producing some of the most sought-after microlots in world. The combination of high altitude (up to 2,200m in some areas), fertile soil, consistent and plentiful rains, and an abundance of local knowledge are all contributing factors to the high status of Yirgacheffe coffees.
The local indigenous ‘heir-loom’ varietals - which grow wild in Ethiopia - are responsible for the unique flavour notes which make for an unusual but refined cup. When processed naturally through sun drying these present with juicy and jammy stone-fruit flavours, floral and chocolate notes with a creamy body.
The Process
Ripe cherries are delivered to the wetmill for careful sorting and pulping, before fermentation for 36-48 hours, depending on the climactic conditions. After this point the parchment coffee is thoroughly washed and graded by bean density before being dried in the sun on raised African beds for 12 - 15 days (until the ideal moisture level has been reached). In the daytime the parchment needs to be raked and turned periodically to ensure a consistent drying process. The coffee is also covered between 12pm and 3pm to protect it from the hot sun, and at night time to protect it from rainfall and moisture. Once the coffee has dried to the right level it is transported to Addis Ababa for dry- milling, grading, intensive sorting and handpicking, before being bagged in GrainPro for export.
Boledu means "source" in the local language and combines over 12 years of experience in coffee from both Abyote and Mebrahtu. "We have been producing and exporting both natural and washed high-end traceable qualities in our own washing stations located in the Guji zone, Dimtu Hamblea, Yirgacheffe, Aricha and Gedeb. We also have vertical agreements in Uraga and in Sidamo, collecting quality coffees from different small farmers."
By vertical integration, Mebrahtu means the coffee is sourced directly from the washing stations and not purchased from the Ethiopian Coffee Exchange (ECX). "We prefinance the washing station owners and he agrees to supply us. If I was to get a good coffee at the ECX I wouldn't necessarily be able to do it again in the future. There is no transparency. For consistency, I must have an agreement directly with the washing station. I also have an agronomist there to help prepare the coffees," he explains.
"The farmers we work with have been working with us for a good time. Before the harvest, we train them and explain the standards of cherry collection for specialty coffee and the premiums that come with it. We have a quality supervisor at the washing stations looking into who is bringing good quality and who isn’t. Their job is really important! They know when someone mixes unripe cherries with the ripe ones. Up to 10% unripe is okay and we will sort them at a later stage, but if farmers bring more than that we know we might not work with them until they agree to the standards."