This selection comes from one of our favorite Ethiopian washing stations, high up in the mountains of Gedeb—just south of the famous Yirgacheffe region. Gedeb had an exceptionally strong year. In the cup we find ripe stone fruit, oxidized oolong tea and watermelon.
Ethiopian Landrace
Gedeb, Gedeo
1,900 - 2,200 masl
December, 2023
Hand-picked at peak ripeness. Floated to further remove defects and de-pulped on the day of harvest. Wet-fermented for 48 hours. Dried on raised beds for 20 days until moisture content reaches approximately 10%.
ABOUT WORKA
We are getting better at finding, isolating, and separating coffees in Ethiopia. This lot is an excellent example of such success. About a decade ago, most of the coffee from Gedeo would have been sold under the more famous and popular name of Yirgacheffe. However, there are many woredas (districts) in Gedeo that we can now explore as individual producing regions. These woredas include Dilla, Dilla Zuria, Bule, Wenago, Yirgacheffe, Kochere, and Gedeb. Gedeb is the southernmost woreda of the Gedeo Zone, and has only produced coffee for one or two generations. Most of the trees are about 20-30 years old—relatively young by Ethiopian standards. This area is fascinating for multiple reasons, and we'll continue to explore the region with a lot of interest as we try to find and bring new and beautiful coffees to market.
ABOUT ETHIOPIAN LANDRACE
Ethiopia is widely acknowledged as where coffee originated, and its production continues to represent about 10% of the country’s gross domestic product. DNA testing has confirmed over 60 distinct varieties growing in Ethiopia, making it home to the most coffee biodiversity of any region in the world. Given the tradition of coffee production in Ethiopia and the political interworkings of the Ethiopian coffee trade, it is virtually impossible to get single variety coffee lots from Ethiopia. This is changing, albeit very slowly. Most Ethiopian coffees are blends of the many Ethiopian varieties, and referred to simply as 'Ethiopian Landrace'.
Pricing Details
FARM GATE (LOCAL; CHERRY)
58 Birr/KG
FARM GATE (USD; GREEN)
~$6.84/KG
FOB
$9.64/KG
FOT
$15.84/KG
The cost of getting a coffee from cherry to beverage varies enormously depending on its place of origin and the location of its consumption. The inclusion of price transparency is a starting point to inform broader conversation around the true costs of production and the sustainability of specialty coffee as a whole.