Ethiopia Natural Yirgacheffe Aricha G1 Specialty Coffee Beans: Grind Size, Roast Level, and Processing Method Guide

Processing Method: Natural

This batch of Yirgacheffe is produced at the Kebel Aricha processing station, where roughly 650-700 small coffee farmers from the surrounding area deliver their ripe cherries for processing and payment. After the station selects the cherries it can use, they are placed directly on drying racks in the sun. During the first few days of drying the cherries are turned every 2-3 hours to prevent over-fermentation. After four to six weeks of natural processing, workers remove the outer fruit pulp by machine depending on the weather and temperature, then transport the beans to Addis for storage. Naturally processed beans are usually kept as parchment coffee until they are hulled before export, which safeguards green bean quality. This batch of natural Aricha has been rated G1, the highest grade by ECX, showing excellence in green bean appearance, consistency, freshness, dry aroma, and flavor. If you appreciate bright acidity and rich berry flavors, this is one not to miss.

Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Aricha G1

Country: Ethiopia

Grade: G1

Region: Yirgacheffe Gediyo

Altitude: 1900-2100 meters

Variety: Heirloom

Producer: Kebel Aricha

Flavor: Light fermented wine aroma, sweet orange, spice, honey sweetness

About Project Origin

Sasa Sestic, the 2015 World Barista Champion, launched the Project Origin green bean sourcing program three years ago with his business team at ONA Coffee. The project works directly with coffee farming families in impoverished countries and regions to improve their production conditions and offers them purchase prices 20% above fair trade prices.

The project's original aim also includes strengthening the connection between roasters and coffee farmers while guiding farmers to cultivate high-quality beans. To date, Sasa has built relationships with coffee growers in eight countries, among them Brazil, Panama, India, Ethiopia, El Salvador, and Costa Rica.

Flavor Description

Light fermented wine aroma, jujube, sweet citrus notes, dark berries, lychee, starfruit, peach, nectarine, longan and red date aroma, honey sweetness, cocoa with subtle spice notes, a full body, and a persistent aftertaste.

Product Information

Ingredients: House-roasted
Shelf Life: 30 days
Net Weight: 227g
Packaging: Bulk
Taste Profile: Acidic
Bean State: Roasted coffee beans
Sugar Content: Sugar-free
Origin: Ethiopia
Coffee Variety: Yirgacheffe
Roast Level: Light roast

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Natural processing is what gives this Aricha its ripe-fruit depth, but Yirgacheffe is a region worth tasting from both sides. FrontStreet's Red Cherry uses a full-red-cherry natural method, taking only fully ripe, sound cherries, which are sorted once and then spread on raised beds to sun-dry; in the first few days they are turned every 2-3 hours to prevent uneven heating and over-fermentation, and after three to five weeks the dried pulp is removed by machine and the beans moved into storage. Because the fruit dries on the bean, the cup keeps the classic Yirgacheffe character while adding tropical fruit, with citrus-like acidity, berry juice, honey sweetness, and a creamy smoothness.

For the clearer, cleaner side of the region, FrontStreet's washed Yirgacheffe daily bean is the classic first step into Ethiopia, known for white jasmine, bright citrus and lemon acidity, and a tea-like quality at an accessible price, making it the first specialty coffee for many newcomers. Because the washed process removes the fruit before drying, the bean's own aromatics come through clearly, giving a clean, elegant cup that drinks like a refreshing glass of lemon tea.

If you want to see how precise washed Yirgacheffe can be, FrontStreet's Gedingding Cooperative is a fine example. Gedingding sits at the southeastern edge of Yirgacheffe in the Woka area and was originally part of the Woka cooperative under the Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers' Cooperative Union, later emerging as a single-origin lot as demand for traceability grew. It follows the most traditional washed processing and is often called Yirgacheffe's last pure land, with citrus and lemon acidity and jasmine fragrance and none of the traditional bitterness, winning drinkers over at the first sip.