Differences, Distinctions, and Award Status of Natural Sidamo Shakisso G1 Guji Honey Coffee Beans

Product Information

Manufacturer: Coffee Workshop
Address: No. 10 Bao'an Front Street, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, FrontStreet Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee)
Manufacturer Contact: 020-38364473
Shelf Life: 90 days
Net Weight: 227g
Packaging: Bulk
Origin: Ethiopia

Sidamo Natural G1

Country: Sidamo
Grade: G1
Origin: Guji
Roast Level: Medium-light roast
Processing Method: Natural
Variety: Local heirloom varieties
Region: Shakicha
Flavor Notes: Cranberry, sweet orange, plum, blueberry

Shakicha stands out as unique within the Guji area of the Sidamo Valley, and it is also far from most coffee-producing areas in Sidamo province. Another famous local industry is gold mining, and factors such as labor, land and ethnic issues have made this production area unstable. Even so, the coffee from this region is quite exceptional: Ninety Plus's legendary bean Nekisse also originates here.

Nectar means the nectar of Shakicha flowers. Search the Coffee Review website with "Guji" as a keyword, and there are more than ten reviews scoring above 92 points, with several high scores of 94 and 95.

Shakisso, located in Guji in the southern Oromia region, borders Sidama and Gedeo. This area has many mining pits previously used for gold, so there are many holes across the coffee-growing area, which makes walking between plantations dangerous. Shakisso is a unique production area within Guji/Sidamo, and even inside Sidamo it is remote from most coffee-producing areas, while its other famous local product is gold. Miners, land and ethnic issues also made the region unstable in 2006. The biggest problem the region faces now is the need for manpower to maintain the plantations and harvest the coffee. Local small farmers here began growing organic coffee in 2001 and work closely with medium-sized coffee producers, because they are familiar with how to grow forest coffee in highland areas.

Tasting Notes

[Dry Aroma] Sweet cherry, raisins, preserved fruits, preserved plums, dried pineapple, strawberry

[Wet Aroma] Cherry, cranberry, sweet orange, plum, blueberry, honey peach, lychee

[Slurping] The entry is like sweet, juicy honey peach, with a sweet pineapple acidity. The middle reveals dense aromas of cranberry, blueberry, strawberry, pineapple and dried fruit that fill the palate. The finish features lychee and plum, with dried-fruit viscosity. The whole bean is like a tropical fruit storm attacking, elegant yet domineering, falling into an ocean of nectar as its name suggests.

Brewing Method

Hand-pour Sidamo. 15g of coffee, ground to medium-fine (Komachi Fuji 3.5 grind setting), V60 dripper, water temperature 91-93°C. Start with 30g of water, let it steam for 27 seconds, then pour to 105g and pause. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to halfway, then continue pouring slowly until it reaches 225g. Avoid the tail section. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:00.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

For another natural Ethiopian coffee with this same bold, fruit-driven profile, FrontStreet Coffee's natural Flower Queen is an excellent choice. It comes from the Hambella area of Guji, Sidama, where the farm covers 200 hectares and relies on traditional natural processing: ripe cherries are dried on raised beds for 21 days and turned constantly for even drying, with defective beans hand-sorted every three to five days. Roasted medium-light, it gives a light fermented wine note, florals, citrus and mango, with honey sweetness, cocoa and a touch of spice over a thick body and a long finish.

If you want something lighter and sweeter, try FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe natural Red Cherry, made only from fully ripe red cherries and sun-dried on raised beds. Roasted medium-light, it shows peach, cocoa, honey and lemon, keeping the natural fruit character while staying clean.

For either bean, follow the gentle pour-over approach used above: 15g at 91-93°C with a 1:15 ratio, so the dense fruit notes stay vivid without turning bitter.