Yirgacheffe Washed Kochere Flavor and Aroma - Kochere Coffee Varieties and Prices

Hand-Poured Yirgacheffe

15g of coffee at a medium-fine grind (setting 3.5 on a Fuji ghost-tooth burr grinder), V60 dripper, water at 91-93°C. First pour: 30g of water, bloom for 27 seconds. Continue pouring to 105g, then wait until the water level drops to half before pouring again. Pour slowly until you reach 225g total. Discard the tail section. Water-to-coffee ratio: 1:15. Total extraction time: 2:00.

Ethiopian Coffee Regions

Ethiopia has eight major coffee-producing regions: Nekempte (Lekempti) Gimbi, Limu, Illubabor, Djimma, Harrar, Teppi/Bebeka, Sidamo, and Yirgacheffe. The most renowned specialty regions among these are Nekempte (Lekempti), Limu, Harrar, Sidamo, and Yirgacheffe. Yirgacheffe lies within the Sidama administrative region of Ethiopia—technically a smaller area inside Sidama.

Yirgacheffe itself is a small town of roughly 20,000 inhabitants. The three neighboring small regions—Wenago, Kochere, and Gelena Abaya—produce coffee with flavors nearly identical to Yirgacheffe's, so they are classified under the Yirgacheffe name as well. Both culturally and geographically, Yirgacheffe resembles its neighbor Sidamo, but it seems uniquely blessed with exceptional natural conditions. Top-quality Yirgacheffe offers floral aromas, bright citrus acidity, lemon notes, and a silky-smooth mouthfeel.

The Kochere Region

Kochere is located in southwestern Ethiopia, about 25 miles from the famous town of Yirgacheffe. Production here is centered on local smallholder farmers delivering their harvest to cooperatives for unified processing. The local village of Chalalacktu has approximately 100,000 people who rely on coffee cultivation for their livelihood—coffee-related work is their main economic source. Thanks to income from coffee, the local standard of living is notably better than in many Ethiopian villages, with well-developed health facilities, higher-education institutions, and other infrastructure. Advanced processing equipment lets Kochere coffees consistently reach high standards in washed processing, delivering clean sweetness with complex notes of molasses and citrus.

Flavor Profile

Jasmine florals, lemon, bergamot, honey, and black tea.

Product Information

Manufacturer: FrontStreet Coffee
Ingredients: Freshly roasted, in-house roasting
Shelf Life: 30 days
Net Weight: 227g
Packaging: Bulk
Taste Profile: Acidic coffee beans
Product Form: Roasted coffee beans
Sugar Content: Sugar-free
Origin: Ethiopia
Coffee Type: Yirgacheffe coffee
Roast Degree: Light roast

Ethiopia's eight major coffee regions again: Nekempte (Lekempti) Gimbi, Limu, Illubabor, Djimma, Harrar, Teppi/Bebeka, Sidamo, and Yirgacheffe—with Nekempte (Lekempti), Limu, Harrar, Sidamo, and Yirgacheffe the most renowned for specialty coffee.

The Yirgacheffe Grading System

Yirgacheffe's grading is based not on bean size but on the proportion of defective beans in the total lot. Washed G2 and natural G3 are the most commonly seen. G1 is the highest grade: only Yirgacheffe with the lowest defect rate and most exceptional quality, further refined by hand sorting, can be rated Grade 1.

Coffee Details

Country: Ethiopia

Grade: G1

Region: Yirgacheffe

Roast Level: Light roast

Processing Method: Washed

Variety: Local indigenous varieties

Kochere lies 25 kilometers southeast of Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia—a small coffee region that has prospered from coffee cultivation and one of Yirgacheffe's three famous micro-regions. Its population of roughly 100,000 relies on coffee as their primary income, and the region's processing facilities and equipment are highly advanced. The respected review website Coffee Review awarded Kochere washed beans an impressive 94 points.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Yirgacheffe, a small town in southern Ethiopia's Sidamo province at about 1700-2100 meters with coffee grown above 1800 meters, has become a byword for Ethiopian specialty coffee thanks to its unmistakable white florals and lemon-citrus acidity. Two FrontStreet lots to try:

FrontStreet Washed Yirgacheffe (everyday lot) — the classic gateway to the region: white jasmine, bright citrus and lemon acidity, and a tea-like body at an accessible price. Brew it FrontStreet's way: V60, 15g of coffee at 1:15, water at 90-91°C, grind like fine granulated sugar (80% through a #20 sieve); bloom with 30g for 30 seconds, pour to 125g over about a minute, then add the final 100g once the bed drains to two-thirds, finishing around 2:00-2:10.

FrontStreet Natural Red Cherry Project — from the same Yirgacheffe region but processed as a natural: only fully ripe, unblemished cherries are picked, sorted again at the station, and dried on raised beds, turned every 2-3 hours during the first days to prevent uneven heating and over-fermentation. After three to five weeks in the sun, the dried outer fruit is machine-hulled away and the beans are warehoused. Because the fruit dries in contact with the bean, the cup keeps classic Yirgacheffe character while adding tropical fruit: citrus acidity, berry-like juiciness, honeyed sweetness, and a creamy-smooth finish.