Yaye is among the highest-elevation washing stations in the world, and this is our second year sourcing from this small, exceptional site. In the cup we find ripe tropical fruit, lively acidities, and complex botanicals.
Ethiopian Landrace
Arbegona, Sidama
2,230 masl
January, 2024
Hand-picked at peak ripeness. Floated to further remove defects. De-pulped. Grade 1 density separated. Fermented underwater for 36 hours. Dried on raised beds for 10-14 days.
For those following our work in Ethiopia, you’ll know of our ongoing commitment to Arbegona and our efforts to establish a more sustainable buying program there. This coffee marks one of the first success stories from these efforts, now in its second year with us. We look forward to visiting again next year as we continue working to create and separate true micro lots from this special region.
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'.
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.