Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Washed Woka Ethiopian Landrace Coffee Beans: Grading, Pricing, Green Beans, and Roast Levels

Ethiopia Coffee Grading System

In Ethiopia's coffee grading system, washed Grade 2 and natural Grade 4 are considered the highest grades. In the past, therefore, the market typically offered only Yirgacheffe WP G2.

Yirgacheffe G1 Grade

Note: Yirgacheffe G1 was a grade specially requested by Japan's Mitsubishi from the Ethiopia Coffee & Tea Authority. It first appeared on the market in 2002-2003. G1 beans are not produced through typical screening but through strict hand selection from green beans originating in the Konga area of Yirga village, which has the highest elevation and excellent soil. The green beans are nearly identical in size, with a beautiful appearance and almost no defective beans. On tasting, one feels the coffee expresses Yirgacheffe's character even better. Because of the strict process, annual Yirgacheffe G1 production is quite rare, averaging about 600 bags.

Yirgacheffe Processing and Production

Yirgacheffe is processed predominantly by the washed method, involving fermentation and de-pulping in washing tanks for about 72 hours, followed by direct drying outside the processing plant. After hand selection, the green beans are inspected by the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority and exported through competitive bidding. Annual production is about 225,000 bags (60 kg per bag), with past exports going mainly to Northern Europe, above all Germany, and Japan, while recently attracting attention from North America as well.

Brewing Instructions

Hand-pour washed Worka: 15 g of coffee, ground medium-fine (Komachi grinder 3.5), V60 dripper, water at 90-92°C. First pour 30 g of water and steam for 27 seconds, then pour to 105 g and stop. Once the water level in the bed drops halfway, continue pouring slowly until reaching 225 g. Avoid the tail end. The water-to-coffee ratio is 1:15 and the extraction time is 2:00.

Coffee Details

Ethiopia Washed Yirgacheffe Worka G1

Country: Ethiopia
Grade: G1
Region: Worka
Roast Level: Light roast
Processing Method: Washed
Variety: Local landrace
Processing Station: Worka Cooperative
Flavor Notes: Lemon, kumquat, white grape juice

Yirgacheffe Region

Yirgacheffe is a small town of about 20,000 people. The three neighboring small producing regions, Wenago, Kochere and Gelena Abaya, produce coffee with flavors almost identical to Yirgacheffe's, so they are also classified under the Yirgacheffe regional category. Yirgacheffe shares culture and geography with neighboring Sidamo, but Yirgacheffe seems particularly favored with unique advantages. Top-quality Yirgacheffe has floral notes, bright citrus acidity, lemon-toned aromas and a silky smooth mouthfeel.

Processing Characteristics

Compared with the traditionally natural-processed Harar region, natural-processed Yirgacheffe is not common. As the region where Ethiopia's first washing station was established, Yirgacheffe is more familiar to coffee lovers for its washed coffee, known for its elegant lemon and citrus character.

Washed coffee is less likely to carry wild flavors and has a pure, refreshing quality well suited to light roast levels. This washed Ethiopian coffee achieves the highest G1 grade, which already indicates very few defects.

Origin Story

This bean comes from a single farm in Ethiopia, processed by the Worka Cooperative. The Alemayehu Alako farm is a member of the Worka Cooperative.

The Worka Cooperative lies in the southern part of the Gedeb district, was established in 2005, and joined the renowned Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union (YCFCU) the same year. It is known for producing high-quality Yirgacheffe. The Worka Cooperative has about 300 coffee farmers under its management. YCFCU was established in 2002 and includes 26 other cooperatives, serving over 45,000 coffee farmers.

Flavor Profile

Distinct floral notes, with intense citrus aromas in both the dry and wet fragrance. The front palate shows lemon, kumquat and white grape juice with a diverse, colorful range of flavors. The middle to back palate delivers rich citrus acidity with a soda-like sweetness. The personality is distinct and prominent, truly rare and exceptional.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Washed Yirgacheffe is the classic entry to Ethiopia, and FrontStreet Coffee's washed Yirgacheffe daily drinker is the easiest place to start. It is known for white jasmine, bright citrus and lemon acidity and a tea-like body, and its friendly price has made it the first specialty coffee for many drinkers. Yirgacheffe town sits in Sidama province at roughly 1,700-2,100 meters, with the trees above 1,800 meters, making it one of the highest coffee regions in the world.

For a step up in clarity, FrontStreet's washed Gedingding Cooperative coffee comes from the Worka area at the southeastern edge of Yirgacheffe. It was originally part of the YCFCU's Worka cooperative and later became a stand-alone single-origin lot as demand for traceability grew. It follows the most traditional washed processing and shows fresh, bright citrus and lemon acidity with jasmine fragrance and none of the traditional bitterness.

Brew either coffee in a V60 at 90-91°C with 15 g of coffee, a 1:15 ratio and a grind of EK43s setting 10, about fine granulated sugar (80% passing a No. 20 sieve): a 30 g bloom for 30 seconds, then 95 g (about 125 g on the scale) finished in roughly one minute, then the remaining 100 g (about 225 g on the scale) once the water drops to two-thirds of the bed, finishing around 1:35 with drawdown complete at 2:00-2:10. If you prefer a fruitier cup, FrontStreet's Natural Red Cherry adds berry juice, honey sweetness and a creamy smoothness.