Sidamo Honey Flavor Profile and Characteristics

The Origin of Coffee

The Oromia region is one of the world's primary coffee origins. The indigenous Oromo people here were among the first anywhere to use coffee as food, dating back to the 5th century AD. Oromia sits roughly between 3°-15°N latitude and 33°-40° longitude. The region is world-renowned for the primitive nature of its plant species and their biodiversity. This is where coffee was born. For the local Oromo, coffee is not only a beverage and a food but also an important part of their trade, a local "stimulant," and a tool for keeping the peace.

Flavor Description

Distinct wild ginger and bergamot notes with black currant undertones, raisin sweetness in the finish, and overall flavors reminiscent of Earl Grey tea.

Pour-Over Instructions

Use 15 g of coffee, ground to a medium-fine consistency (Fujiyama ghost tooth burr grinder setting 3.5), a V60 dripper, and 91-93°C water. First pour 30 g of water and let it bloom for 27 seconds. Continue pouring to 105 g, then pause until the water level drops halfway. Slowly pour until you reach a total of 225 g, discarding the tail section. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:00.

Ethiopian Coffee Grading System

Ethiopian coffee beans are graded using a defect-based classification system. Indonesian beans are mainly divided into 6 grades, G1-G6. Ethiopia also adopts this method, with the highest grades for washed beans being G1 and G2, while the highest grades for natural process beans are G1 and G3.

Washed Process: Grade-1; Grade-2 (G1 > G2)

Natural Process: Grade-1 and Grade-3 to Grade-5 (G1 > G3 > G4 > G5)

Coffee Details

Region: Ethiopia, Oromia

Variety: Ethiopian heirloom

Altitude: 2000m

Processing Method: Washed

Ethiopian Coffee Production

Ethiopia shows a wide range of coffee cultivation methods: from vast wild coffee forests and semi-developed land to traditionally managed small plots and modern plantations. Approximately 50% of coffee is grown at altitudes above 1500 meters. Ethiopian coffee can be divided into nine major producing regions based on the four different production methods, including five specialty coffee regions - Sidamo, Yirgacheffe, Harar, Limu, and Lekempti - along with four commercial regions: Djimmah, Illubabor, Tepi, and Bebeka. Each region uses either natural or washed processing, and the method affects the flavor. Currently, natural processing accounts for about 80% and washed processing about 20%.

Processing Method

This micro-batch is first hand-selected for 100% Red Cherry, then processed using Agared equipment to remove the skin and pulp. The beans with mucilage are then fermented in tanks for 36 hours, followed by 4 hours of soaking. They are then dried on 30 x 1.8 meter drying beds before hulling. After hand-sorting to reach G1 grade, they are packed in GrainPro bags with outer jute sacks.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee, and its range is enormous - so if this Oromia micro-batch interests you, the best way in is the house's washed Yirgacheffe. FrontStreet's washed Yirgacheffe is the classic entry point, known for white jasmine florals, bright citrus and lemon acidity, and a tea-like body, and it has introduced countless drinkers to specialty coffee.

For a village-level washed coffee with extra clarity, FrontStreet's Gedingding Cooperative coffee comes from a single village in Yirgacheffe and is depulped before drying, giving clean citrus, lemon, and elegant white floral notes with a bright, refined overall character.

And if you want the natural-processing side of Ethiopia, FrontStreet's Flower Queen is a standout. Its heirloom beans and classic natural process deliver creamy strawberry, mango, jackfruit, citrus, and blueberry notes with prominent tropical fruit character and very low bitterness.