90+ Guji Megara Proper Brewing Method Guji Megara Coffee Bean Price

Ethiopian Coffee Cultivation and Processing

Ethiopia offers every coffee cultivation method imaginable: vast wild coffee forests, semi-developed land, traditionally managed small plots, all the way up to modern plantations. About 50% of the coffee grows at altitudes above 1500 meters. Based on four different production methods, Ethiopian coffee divides into nine major regions-five specialty areas: Sidamo, Yirgacheffe, Harar, Limu, and Lekempti, plus four general commercial areas: Djimmah, Illubabor, Tepi, and Bebeka. Each region uses either natural or washed processing, and the choice of technique shapes the flavor: today natural processing accounts for about 80% and washed about 20%.

Pour-over Sidamo Brewing Guide

Hand-poured Sidamo: 15g of coffee, ground medium-fine (Fuji burr grinder at setting 3.5), V60 dripper, water at 91-93°C. First pour 30g of water and bloom for 27 seconds, then pour to 105g and pause. Once the water level in the bed drops to half, continue pouring slowly up to 225g total, discarding the final portion. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:00.

Ninety Plus Coffee Series

"Ninety Plus" does not mean every coffee scores above 90 points. Good coffee varies from year to year-it appears in different estates and carries different flavor characters. "Ninety Plus" refers to a top-tier coffee series of 13 flavor profiles, all from the American specialty coffee creators Ninety Plus Coffee, all Ethiopian heirloom old varieties, grown to maturity in ecological environments and then processed to artistic standards with flavor optimization. Processing is Ninety Plus's specialty: they separate the coffees by variety, microclimate, and harvest timing, tasting each one individually, and design a specific process for each flavor profile to hit a particular taste-much like luxury designers meticulously crafting their works. Tremendous effort and care go into what approaches an artistic craft: natural products refined again and again until they reach their most beautiful form.

Drima Zede Natural Processing

The ancient natural method struggles to achieve purity of flavor, but Drima Zede, with Ninety Plus's technical support, hand-selects only the most mature cherries and dries them with meticulous, constant stirring to ensure uniformity. The result is an exceptionally transparent, pure taste with striking differences between hot and cold, and the aromas of fruit, florals, and oak barrels are utterly captivating!

Ninety Plus Shantawene Natural

Another Ethiopian natural, Shantawene undergoes strict supervision and selection, avoiding the earthy impurities and high defect rates that plague ordinary natural beans-and instead spotlighting the captivating sweetness natural processing is famous for. Shantawene's enchanting fruit profile inherits the alluring aroma of traditional Ethiopian naturals, expressing full-bodied, lingering sweetness and a perfectly balanced, mouth-watering fruit acidity without reservation. It is also easy to brew day to day: the bean itself is so flavorful that whether you choose the clean drip method or a rich espresso, it shows its character beautifully.

Ninety Plus Level Up Shantawene Flavor Profile

Ninety Plus Level Up series Shantawene flavor: nectarine and tropical fruits with a clean, bright mouthfeel-impressive from the very first sip.

Shantawene's enchanting fruit profile inherits the fascinating aroma of traditional Ethiopian natural processing, expressing full-bodied, lingering sweetness and perfectly balanced, mouth-watering fruit acidity. It brews easily too-the bean itself is rich in flavor, and whether clean drip or rich espresso, it showcases its inherent character beautifully.

Technical Specifications

Country: Ethiopia
Altitude: 1750-2000m
Region: Sidamo
Roast level: Light
Process: Natural
Variety: Local native heirloom varieties
Processing station: Ninety Plus
Flavor: Nectarine, tropical fruits, oak barrel aroma

Ninety Plus Brand Philosophy

Ninety Plus names its beans completely differently from conventional specialty coffee-no region or estate names. Each bean is named for its flavor profile; Shantawene, for instance, means "best approach" in the local dialect. They start from a flavor concept, then name it, then select the regions and partner farms-a boutique-management approach through and through.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If Ninety Plus's naturals intrigue you, FrontStreet Coffee's natural Ethiopians offer the same sun-dried magic at everyday prices. Natural processing is the oldest and most widespread method: ripe cherries dry whole in the sun, so the bean absorbs the fruit's sugars and character-which is why naturals carry heavier body and lush ripe-fruit notes than washed lots.

The FrontStreet Yirgacheffe Natural Red Cherry is the house classic: only fully ripe, all-red cherries are picked, sorted again at the station, and spread on raised beds, turned every 2-3 hours during the first days to prevent over-fermentation, then dried for three to five weeks before the pulp is stripped away. Roasted medium-light, it keeps its elegant florals and bright acidity while adding pronounced tropical fruit, a full fermentation character, and deep sweetness. The Sidamo Huakui (Flower Queen) goes even richer: light fermentation, florals, citrus, and mango, with honeyed sweetness, a cocoa note laced with spice, and a thick body with a long finish.

Brewing suggestion for a natural Sidamo on a V60: 90-91°C water, 15g dose, 1:15 ratio, grind to fine-granulated-sugar texture (80% through a #20 sieve). Pour 30g to bloom for 30 seconds, then 95g (to about 125g on the scale) finishing near 1 minute; once the bed drains to two-thirds, add the final 100g (to about 225g), finishing around 1:35, with drainage complete at 2:00-2:10.