Sidamo Flavor Description - Which Coffee Brand is Best for Sidamo

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Processing Method

This micro-lot first undergoes manual selection of 100% Red Cherry, then uses Agared equipment to remove the skin and pulp. The beans, still coated in mucilage, are 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 manual screening to reach G1 grade, they are packed in GrainPro bags with outer jute sacks.

The Oromia Region: Birthplace of Coffee

Oromia is one of the world's coffee origins. The indigenous Oromo people here were the first in the world to use coffee as food, dating back to the 5th century. Oromia lies roughly between 3-15 degrees north latitude and 33-40 degrees longitude. The region is world-renowned for the primitiveness of its plant species and its biodiversity. This is where coffee was born. For the local Oromo, coffee is not only a beverage and food but also an important part of trade, a local stimulant, and an important tool for maintaining peace.

Flavor Description

Distinct wild ginger flower and bergamot notes, with black currant undertones. The finish has raisin sweetness, and the overall profile evokes Earl Grey tea.

The Ethiopian Grading System

Ethiopian coffee uses a defect-based grading method, the same approach used for Indonesian beans, which are divided into six grades, G1 to G6. For washed beans the highest grades are G1 and G2, while for natural-processed beans the highest grades are G1 and G3.

The Brew

15g of coffee, medium-fine grind (Fuji ghost-tooth blade setting 3.5), V60 dripper, 91-93°C water. First pour 30g of water for a 27-second bloom, then pour to 105g and pause. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to halfway before pouring again, slowly, until reaching 225g. Avoid the tail end. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:00.

Grade Classifications

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

Natural: 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

Coffee Information

Net weight: 227g
Shelf life: 90 days
Packaging: bulk coffee beans
Sugar content: sugar-free
Origin: Ethiopia
Roast degree: light roast

Ethiopian Coffee Cultivation

Ethiopia contains a wide range of coffee cultivation methods, from vast wild coffee forests and semi-developed land to traditionally managed small plots and modern plantations. About 50% of the coffee is grown above 1,500 meters. According to these four production methods, Ethiopia can be divided into nine major coffee-producing regions, including five specialty coffee areas, Sidamo, Yirgacheffe, Harar, Limu, and Lekempti, and four general commercial bean areas, Jimma, Illubabor, Teppi, and Bebeka. Each region uses either natural or washed processing, and the method affects the flavor. Today natural processing accounts for about 80% and washed for about 20%.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Within Sidamo, the Guji zone is one of the most exciting areas, and FrontStreet Coffee's Ethiopia Huakui comes from the Hambella area of Guji. The roughly 200-hectare farm uses the traditional natural method, drying ripe cherries on raised beds for 21 days, raking them constantly for even drying, with defective and moldy beans hand-removed every three to five days. Roasted medium-light, it delivers a light fermented wine aroma, florals, citrus, and mango, with a rich, complex body, honey sweetness, a cocoa note with a touch of spice, and a long finish.

Also from Sidamo is FrontStreet Coffee's Hamasho 74158. The Hamasho processing station has become a fixture on winning lists at Ethiopian green bean competitions thanks to its quality and distinctive flavor. Its coffee is mainly the disease-resistant 74-series varieties released by the Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC). The 74158 cherry is on the smaller side with a standout floral and fruity character. It carries an alluring perfume-like lemon, strawberry, and star fruit aroma, opening with clear strawberry, star fruit, and green grape sweetness before a delicate floral note gradually emerges.