| Country | Ethiopia |
|---|---|
| Farm | Danche, Worka Chelbessa, Yirgacheffe |
| Varietal | Arabica heirloom |
| Processing | Natural |
| Crop | January 2022 |
| Partnership | Relationship Coffee |
Natural Processing
The coffee cherries were first floated (to separate low density cherries) in water and then dried on traditional African beds. Slow drying and good air flow are crucial for long shelf life of the green beans and preserving of great flavours.
Tile tanks
Chelbessa Danche station was quite a surprise for us. It is the only station out of so many we have visited that uses tile tanks. Tiles are brought from the USA. It is very clear they take cleanliness very seriously here.
Community station
Chelbessa Danche station lies at the altitude of 2100 masl and no paved road leads to it. So, we had to jump on motorbikes that we got from the neighbouring town and drive straight up the hill over mudy paths covered with coffee trees. This station buys cherries from over 400 farmers. Each of these producers owns a little farm of 1-2ha and grows around 1800-2400 trees. Each htree gives around 3kg of cherries.
Less coffee, higher price
The harvest was very low this year due to very unstable weather. Stations didnt buy many lots as it wouldnt earn much. And that is why coffee price went up about 25 birr. Which is nearly twice the price compared to the previous years.
