Yirgacheffe Natural Processing Coffee Brands and Brewing Steps

The Origins of Yirgacheffe Coffee

Yirgacheffe's coffee trees were originally cultivated by European monks, somewhat like Belgian monks growing barley to brew beer, and were later taken over by farmers or cooperatives. Yirgacheffe is really a collection of surrounding coffee communities and cooperatives, including Idido near Misty Valley, Harfusa, Hama and Beloya, most of which use washed processing, though some premium lots are deliberately processed naturally to amplify the charming fruity aroma and richness. These mountain villages are shrouded in mist with spring-like weather year-round. Summer brings gentle breezes, cool without heat and rainy without damp, and winters cause no frost damage, creating a unique regional flavor of citrus and flowers. Coffee trees are mostly planted in farmers' own backyards or mixed with other crops in the fields, and each household's output is limited, making this typical garden coffee. Award-winning Yirgacheffe beans come almost entirely from these villages and communities.

FrontStreet Coffee Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Aricha G1

Processing Method: Natural

Bean Information

Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Aricha G1

Country: Ethiopia

Grade: G1

Region: Yirgacheffe Gediyo

Altitude: 1900-2100 meters

Variety: Heirloom

Producer: Kebel Aricha

Flavor: Light fermented wine aroma, sweet citrus, spices, honey sweetness

About Project Origin

Sasa Sestic, the 2015 World Barista Champion, launched the green bean sourcing project Project Origin with his business team at ONA Coffee three years ago. The project works directly with coffee farming households in poor countries and regions to improve their production conditions and pays them 20% more than fair trade prices. Its original aim also included strengthening the connection between roasters and coffee farmers and guiding farmers to cultivate high-quality beans. So far Sasa has built relationships with growers in eight countries, among them Brazil, Panama, India, Ethiopia, El Salvador and Costa Rica.

Flavor Description

Light fermented wine aroma, jujube, sweet citrus, dark berries, lychee, starfruit, peach, juicy peach, longan and red date, honey sweetness, cocoa with subtle spice, a full body and a long-lasting aftertaste.

Ingredients: Self-roasted
Shelf Life: 30 days
Net Content: 227g
Packaging: Bulk
Taste: Acidic
Coffee Bean Raw/Roasted Degree: Roasted Coffee Beans
Sugar Content: Sugar-free
Origin: Ethiopia
Coffee Type: Yirgacheffe
Roasting Degree: Light Roast

Production Details

This batch of FrontStreet Coffee Yirgacheffe is produced at the Kebel Aricha processing station, where about 650-700 small coffee farmers bring their ripe cherries to be processed and exchanged for cash. After the station selects the usable cherries, they go straight onto drying racks. For the first few days they are turned every 2-3 hours to prevent over-fermentation. After four to six weeks of natural processing, workers remove the outer pulp by machine depending on weather and temperature, then transport the beans to Addis for storage. Naturally processed beans are usually stored as parchment until export, when they are hulled to protect green bean quality. This batch of FrontStreet Coffee natural Aricha has been rated G1 by the ECX, the highest grade. From appearance, consistency and freshness to dry aroma and flavor, it is exceptional. If you love bright acidity and rich berry flavors, you cannot miss it.

Yirgacheffe Processing Methods

Yirgacheffe coffee is divided into two main categories by green bean processing method:

Category A uses the washed method, with grading standards set by the "American Specialty Coffee Association" (SCAA), divided into Gr-1 and Gr-2. The smaller the Arabic numeral, the higher the grade. FrontStreet Coffee G1 Yirgacheffe has a distinctive style: the blend of citrus and floral notes in the cup is a taste no one can resist.

Category B uses the natural method, with grades divided into Gr-1, Gr-3, Gr-4 and Gr-5. The highest grade, FrontStreet Coffee G1 natural Yirgacheffe, has rich fruity aromas. Opening a bag of freshly roasted FrontStreet Coffee G1 natural Yirgacheffe can overturn everyone's original understanding of coffee. Only those who have tasted the highest-grade FrontStreet Coffee natural Yirgacheffe will believe that coffee is a fruit.

Brewing Instructions

Hand-brewed FrontStreet Coffee natural Yirgacheffe Aricha: 15g of coffee, a medium-fine grind (Fuji Royal grinder 3.5 setting), a V60 dripper and water at 90-92°C. First pour 30g of water for a 27-second pre-infusion, then pour to 105g and pause. When the water level drops halfway, slowly continue to 225g. Avoid the tail. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, extraction time 2:00.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Natural processing is what gives this Aricha its winey, berry-forward depth, and FrontStreet Coffee's sun-dried Red Cherry Plan is a close cousin, made from fully ripe cherries dried whole so that citrus acidity meets juicy berry, honey and cream. If you prefer the cleaner side of Yirgacheffe, FrontStreet Coffee's washed Yirgacheffe daily bean is the classic starting point, while the Guodingding cooperative, a single-lot coffee from the Worka area, adds jasmine perfume and a bright lemon finish. Any of the three makes a fine V60 pour-over.