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What Is Ethiopian Yirgachaffe Coffee Bean?


It is known for its mild to medium bodied sweet taste and aroma. Ethiopian Yirgacheffs are spicy and fragrant and are frequently reviewed and rated as some of the best quality Arabica coffees in the world. Their superior reputation also means they often carry a high price, but despite that, they offer better quality for your money than other counterparts (like the Hawaii Kona and Jamaican Blue Mountain).


Growing Altitude: 1,700 - 2,200 meters above sea level

Harvest Period: October - December

Grinding Process: Washed, Sun-dried

Aroma: Floral, Sweet

Flavor: Complex, Fruity, Tea, Floral, Lemon

Yirgacheffe coffees are available in both regular and Fair Trade Organic certified versions.


green coffee

roasting

Espresso

infusion

Green Coffee Production

Green Coffee Export

REVIEW

Yirgacheffe coffee is a wet-processed coffee grown at an altitude of 1,700 to 2,200 meters above sea level and is considered the best grown in Southern Ethiopia, an exotic coffee region known for its fine coffees. These heights qualify Yirgacheffs as Strictly High Grown (SHG) / Strictly Hard Bean (SHB) coffees, where the coffees grow slowly due to altitude and give the tree additional time to impart nutrients to the coffee and develop the best flavors.

A fine Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee shows intense, clean flavors in the aroma and a bright acidity combined with the complexity of floral notes, sometimes with a bit of toasted coconut. Cup notes often speak of a lively aftertaste and can showcase undertones of coffee, fruit or wine.

Some top-notch Yirgacheffes tasting notes suggest it might be a bit nutty or chocolatey. Others show subtle tones of tangerine and citrus. These qualities make it the preferred variety for a refreshing iced coffee.

Yirgacheffe coffee is generally softer than Ghimbi coffee and is also more aromatic and fruity, sometimes displaying a lemon tart twist. Unlike the tight and wild Ethiopian Harrars, Yirgacheffs are high-toned, floral and citrusy.

GREEN COFFEE

Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Green Coffees

The town of Yirgacheffe (Irgachefe) is located in the Sidama (or "Sidamo") region of Ethiopia, at an altitude of about 1,900 meters above sea level, and is the administrative center of the coffee-growing region. Yirgacheffe coffee farmers are members of the Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers Cooperatives Association (YCFCU), which is made up of 23 different member cooperatives, typically more than 40,000 farmers. YCFCU members are exempt from the Ethiopian Coffee Exchange (ECX), which allows them to receive premiums for their premium coffees, including Fair Trade and Organic certifications.

Some Yirgacheffe farmers may be members of the Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperatives Association (OCFCU), which is made up more generally of small farmers from the Oromia region of Ethiopia. The consolidation of processing, sorting and sales functions provides greater market efficiency and greater control over the reputation of Ethiopian coffees. It provides greater stability for farmers by spreading payments throughout the year, which is greatly beneficial for farmers with annual growing and harvest seasons.

These cooperatives ultimately provide the point of contact for exporters and ultimately roasters who wholesale the best unroasted green coffee beans to wholesalers and distributors.

Some say the Yirgacheffe region is the place of coffee's origins, although there is some controversy over this. See History of the World's Best Coffee.

ROASTING

Medium Roast is used to allow the delicate qualities of the best unroasted Yirgacheffe green coffee beans to shine through and increase the bright acidity of the coffee.

For those who prefer their coffee a little heavier and sweeter, a Medium-Dark Roast or Dark Roast can be used, but dark roasts tend to lose some of the better qualities of a Yirgacheffe for which you usually pay a little. This reduces the value of the premium.

Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Coffee Beans - Medium Roasted

The key to a great roast is to always start with a good unroasted green coffee from a reputable wholesaler. Green coffee importers often have a range of Yirgacheffs and can offer samples for both new and experienced roasters to try.

Yirgacheffe is consistently ranked among the best flavors among the best specialty Arabica coffees on the planet. See also . Ethiopian Coffee.

ESPRESSO

These coffees go surprisingly well with an espresso roast, while fruity flavors tend to stand out.

We would err on the lighter side of an espresso roast, or just a dark roast in an espresso machine.

INFUSION

With great care in the growing, harvesting, processing, sorting, distribution, roasting and final delivery stages, how much you enjoy the final product will depend on your brewing method and preferences.

You need to enjoy premium, high quality coffees like Yirgacheffe to the fullest - dit should be ground sadly and brewed slowly using a french press or poured without a paper filter (eg Chemex) so that the full spectrum of flavors can be experienced.

Paper filters drain all coffee grounds without leaving anything at the bottom of your container, which is often viewed positively, but also removes most of the coffee oils that contain most of the flavors.

However, personal tastes are different and you should brew your coffee according to your taste.

Some brands sell Ethiopian Yirgacheffs on Amazon, but special care should be taken when choosing companies that ship from their locations. Yirgacheffe is a highly rated coffee and should always be freshly roasted – if a company is stocking roasted coffee on the shelves, it may have been roasted weeks or months ago and had to travel and stockpile through distribution before being purchased.

This long waiting time results in a flat, tasteless coffee compared to what would be available from a fresh-to-order company.

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