Yirgacheffe Natural Process Aricha G1 Coffee Flavor Profile and Characteristics

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About Project Origin

Sasa Sestic, the 2015 World Barista Champion, launched a green bean sourcing project called Project Origin with his business team ONA Coffee three years prior. This project works directly with coffee farming households in impoverished countries and regions to improve their production conditions and pays them purchase prices 20% higher than fair trade prices.

The original intention of the project also includes strengthening the connection between roasters and coffee farmers and guiding farmers to cultivate high-quality beans. To date, Sasa has established relationships with coffee growers from eight countries, including Brazil, Panama, India, Ethiopia, El Salvador, and Costa Rica.

Pour-Over Brewing Guide

Pour-over for sun-dried Yirgacheffe Aricha: 15g of coffee, ground medium-fine (small Fuji ghost-tooth burr, grind setting 3.5), V60 dripper, water temperature 90-92°C. First pour 30g of water and bloom for 27 seconds, then pour to 105g and pause. Wait until the water level drops to half before pouring again, then pour slowly until reaching 225g total. Discard the tail section. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:00.

Flavor Profile

Flavor description: light fermented wine aroma, jujube, sweet citrus notes, dark berries, lychee, star fruit, peach, nectarine, longan and red date fragrance, honey sweetness, cocoa with subtle spice notes, full body, and a persistent aftertaste.

Product Information

Manufacturer: Cafe Style FrontStreet Coffee
Address: No. 10, Bao'an Qianjie, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
Contact: 020-38364473
Ingredients: in-house roasted
Shelf life: 30 days
Net weight: 227g
Packaging: bulk
Taste: acidity-forward
Bean state: roasted coffee beans
Contains sugar: no
Origin: Ethiopia
Coffee variety: Yirgacheffe
Roast level: light roast

Origin and Processing

This batch of Yirgacheffe was produced at the Kebel Aricha processing station, where about 650-700 small coffee farmers from nearby areas deliver ripe cherries for processing in exchange for cash. After the station selects usable cherries, they are placed directly on racks for sun-drying. During the first few days, the cherries are turned every 2-3 hours to prevent over-fermentation. After four to six weeks of sun-drying, workers remove the outer pulp mechanically depending on weather and temperature, then transport the beans to Addis for storage. Typically, natural beans are stored in parchment form and hulled only just before export to preserve green bean quality. This batch of natural Aricha was rated G1, the highest grade under ECX. From appearance and consistency to freshness, dry aroma, and flavor, every aspect is excellent. If you enjoy bright acidity and rich berry flavors, you absolutely cannot miss it!

Yirgacheffe Classification

Yirgacheffe coffee beans fall into two main categories based on processing method:

Category A: washed processing, with grading standards set by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), divided into Gr-1 and Gr-2, where smaller Arabic numbers indicate higher grades. G1 Yirgacheffe has a distinctive style, with citrus and floral notes woven through the cup—a flavor everyone finds irresistible.

Category B: natural processing, graded as Gr-1, Gr-3, Gr-4, and Gr-5. Likewise, the highest-grade G1 natural Yirgacheffe has a rich fruit aroma. Opening a bag of freshly roasted G1 natural Yirgacheffe can completely change your perception of coffee. Only those who have tasted top-grade natural Yirgacheffe will believe that coffee really is a fruit.

Historical Background

Originally, Yirgacheffe coffee trees were cultivated by European monks (somewhat like Belgian monks growing grain for brewing beer), and were later managed by farmers or cooperatives. Yirgacheffe is actually a collection of surrounding coffee villages and cooperatives, including Idido near Misty Valley, Harfusa, Hama, and Biloa. Most use washed processing, but some exceptional lots are deliberately processed naturally to amplify their captivating fruit aromas and body. These mountain villages are often shrouded in mist, with spring-like weather year-round: summer brings gentle breezes—cool but not hot, rainy but not humid—while winter escapes frost damage. This environment nurtures the region's unique citrus and floral character. Coffee trees are mostly planted in farmers' backyards or intercropped with other crops, with each household producing limited quantities—typical garden coffee. Award-winning Yirgacheffe beans almost always come from these few villages and communities.

Coffee Details

Processing method: natural

Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Aricha G1

Country: Ethiopia

Grade: G1

Region: Yirgacheffe, Gedeo

Altitude: 1900-2100 meters

Variety: Heirloom

Producer: Kebel Aricha

Flavor: light fermented wine aroma, sweet citrus, spice, honey sweetness

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation: More Yirgacheffe to Explore

Aricha shows how expressive natural Yirgacheffe can be, and FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe lineup lets you compare the full spectrum. The washed Yirgacheffe Daily Bean is the classic gateway—white jasmine, bright citrus and lemon acidity, and a tea-like finish—brewed on a V60 at 90-91°C with 15g of coffee, a 1:15 ratio, and a fine-sugar grind (80% through a #20 sieve): a 30g bloom for 30 seconds, then pours to 125g and 225g for a clean 2-minute extraction. If Aricha's fermented fruit side appeals to you, the Natural Red Cherry offers the same sun-dried character—berry juiciness, honey sweetness, and creamy body—turning every cup into proof that coffee really is a fruit.