Sidamo G2 Coffee Growing Region Introduction | How to Brew Sidamo Coffee

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Today, there are increasingly numerous washing stations in Ethiopia, with a growing trend of development. Small farmers sell their harvested coffee cherries to processing plants, where they are hulled and then resold through the auction system. Afterward, they are transferred to the Port of Assab in Eritrea, Red Sea, as well as the Port of Djibouti near the Gulf of Aden. Although coffee is the country's most important agricultural export commodity, its annual domestic consumption is also astonishing, approximately 1,500,000 bags/60kg, accounting for 50% of total production.

Wild coffee grows in the tropical rainforests of the southwestern plateau and is mostly hand-picked. However, because of this, many local people maliciously destroy the naturally formed rainforest areas—either through logging or burning—to reach difficult-to-access rugged mountain regions, which has seriously affected the ecological balance.

Both washed and natural processed coffee beans, all exported coffee, are sent to the capital Addis Ababa and DIRE DAWA in Harar province for auction and export. The DIRE DAWA auction center typically exports natural processed Harar coffee from the region. At the auction house, coffee information from different farms can be seen daily to facilitate traders' purchases. Several Ethiopian government-appointed officials also enter and exit this center daily for inspection and grading. Each time, 3kg of green beans are randomly sampled from the same shipment for inspection.

Ethiopian Coffee Origins and Characteristics

Today, there are still large numbers of wild Arabica coffee species growing in many parts of Ethiopia, typically cultivated at altitudes between 4,200-6,800 feet. There is now a gradual trend toward small-scale cultivation, generally with banana trees planted simultaneously for shade. However, due to the lack of agricultural technology, there is also less use of herbicides and pesticides.

Coffee is Ethiopia's main economic agricultural crop and the country's largest agricultural export and important industry. It accounts for 60% of Ethiopia's total export value and sustains the livelihoods of many small farms. Other major exports include sugar, bananas, and cotton. It is also Ethiopia's largest and most important commodity export after petroleum, as well as Africa's largest Arabica export, with a total value of approximately $300 million in 1997.

In terms of total production, 94% comes from small farms and 6% from government institutions. Because many farms are scattered and also grow other crops, accurate statistics have been difficult to compile. However, the country's official statistics indicate that the total coffee cultivation area is at least 400,000 hectares or more. The Ethiopian government encourages local farmers to improve quality and productivity to help coffee farmers expand commercial scale and increase production and exports.

Sidamo Region: Ethiopia's Premium Coffee Zone

The Sidamo growing region, at altitudes of 1,400-2,200 meters, is a famous specialty coffee area in southern Ethiopia, bordering Kenya. Washed processed Sidamo coffee appears light green in color, with beans that are not large but are oblong in shape and full-bodied. The average quality is excellent, with a rich and mellow aroma. A single drop offers an endless aftertaste, possessing a wild beauty.

Sidamo's coffee flavors are extremely diverse. Different soil types, microclimates, and countless native coffee varieties have created obvious differences and characteristics in the coffee produced by various towns. From 2010-2012, it continuously achieved high scores of 92-94 from the authoritative American coffee evaluation website CR. This demonstrates the extraordinary nature of green beans from this region.

The territory features towering mountains, highlands, plateaus, valleys, and plains, with diverse topography. The local geology consists of nutrient-rich, well-drained volcanic soil, with soil depth reaching nearly two meters. The surface soil appears dark brown or brown. The region's greatest advantage lies in maintaining soil fertility through the cycling of organic matter, using fallen leaves from surrounding trees or plant root residues as fertilizer.

Unique Flavor Profile of Sidamo Coffee

Unlike typical African coffees, Sidamo has clear fruit acidity and a smooth mouthfeel, with delicate floral and grassy aromas. Washed Sidamo is elegant yet playful. The initial entry is mild and pleasant, forming a strong taste impact with the subsequent bright lemon citrus acidity. The mouthfeel is uniquely rich and mellow, with a distinctive and pleasing aftertaste. The slowly rising finish contains a special sweetness.

The green coffee beans are slightly grayish, with some areas being coarse while others are fine. The acidity balances both soft and strong qualities, the body density is appropriately balanced, and it features sweet, spicy aromas. It is one of the garden coffees from the southern Ethiopian highlands.

Coffee Processing Methods

Farmers harvest bright red cherries daily, with every two days' harvest forming one unit of coffee cherries that are sent or sold to washing stations for processing. Coffee cherries that have not undergone washing station processing are typically naturally fermented for about 12 hours, then sun-dried for drying and hulling. Regardless, farmers with some means always try to send their coffee to washing stations for processing in order to command the "washed processed" designation and sell at better prices.

At washing stations, coffee cherries undergo about 12 hours of soaking and fermentation to soften the pulp, then pass through water channels with agitation to separate the pulp from the coffee beans. The pulp is discharged through gates.

Product Information

Factory Name: Coffee Workshop
Factory Address: No. 10 Bao'an Qian Street, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou
Manufacturer Contact: 020-38364473
Shelf Life: 90 days
Net Weight: 227g
Package Type: Bulk coffee beans
Roast Level: Roasted coffee beans
Sugar Content: Sugar-free
Origin: Ethiopia
Roast Degree: Light roast

Coffee Details

Grade: Sidamo G2 Washed
Country: Ethiopia
Grade: G2
Region: Sidamo
Roast Level: Light roast
Processing Method: Washed
Variety: Local native varieties
Flavor Notes: Honey, citrus, lemon

Brewing Recommendations

Hand-pour Sidamo coffee. Use 15g of coffee, ground to medium-fine consistency (Fuji Royal grind setting 3.5). Use a V60 dripper with water temperature of 91-93°C. First pour 30g of water and let it bloom for 27 seconds. Continue pouring to 105g, then pause. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to halfway, then continue pouring slowly until reaching 225g. Avoid the tail end. Use a water-to-coffee ratio of 1:15, with a total extraction time of 2:00.

Important Notice :

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FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473