Is Yirgacheffe Washed Eriga Coffee Delicious? Yirgacheffe Coffee Brewing Methods

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Yirgacheffe Coffee Classifications

Yirgacheffe coffees fall into two main categories based on processing method.

Category A: Washed Processing

The washed standard follows guidelines set by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), graded as Gr-1 and Gr-2, where the smaller Arabic numeral indicates higher quality. G1 washed Yirgacheffe has a distinctive character: citrus and floral notes blend seamlessly into the coffee, a flavor almost everyone finds irresistible.

Category B: Natural Processing

The natural method grades coffee as Gr-1, Gr-3, Gr-4, and Gr-5. Likewise, the highest grade, G1 natural Yirgacheffe, boasts rich fruit aromas. Opening a bag of freshly roasted G1 natural Yirgacheffe can completely transform your perception of coffee. Only those who have tasted the highest-grade natural Yirgacheffe truly believe that coffee is indeed a fruit.

Product Information

Manufacturer: FrontStreet Coffee
Ingredients: In-house roasted
Shelf Life: 90 days
Net Weight: 227g
Packaging: Bulk coffee beans
Bean State: Roasted coffee beans
Sugar Content: Sugar-free
Origin: Ethiopia
Roast Level: Light roast

Processing Method: Washed

Washed Processing Method

Happy coffee farmers first harvest the cherries from the trees, then pour them into water-filled tanks. Because different ripeness levels mean different densities, overripe and underripe cherries, along with stray leaves and twigs, float on the surface, while adequately ripe cherries sink to the bottom. This natural step effectively screens the cherries through the first quality checkpoint.

The selected ripe cherries then enter the depulping machine to remove the skin and pulp.

For pour-over Yirgacheffe: use 15g of coffee ground to a medium-fine consistency (ghost-tooth burr grinder at 3.5), a V60 dripper, and 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 drops to halfway, then continue pouring slowly until reaching 225g total. Avoid the tail section. The water-to-coffee ratio is 1:15, with a total extraction time of 2:00.

Next, the beans with remaining mucilage enter fermentation (interacting with microorganisms in the water or air). Once fermentation is complete, the parchment coffee moves into washing channels to be thoroughly cleaned. Drying follows, during which the green beans' moisture content is kept at about 12%. The beans are then packed in jute bags to rest for 2-3 months so their quality can stabilize. Finally, the parchment layer is removed and the beans are ready for sale.

Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Aricha G1 Washed

Country: Ethiopia
Grade: G1
Region: Yirgacheffe Gediyo
Altitude: 1900-2100 meters
Variety: Heirloom
Producer: Kebel Aricha
Flavor Notes: Sweet orange, cherry, honey sweetness

This batch of Yirgacheffe was produced at the Kebel Aricha processing station, where roughly 650-700 smallholder farmers deliver their ripe cherries for processing in exchange for cash.

About Project Origin

Sasa Sestic, the 2015 World Barista Champion, launched the Project Origin green bean sourcing program three years ago with his business team at ONA Coffee. The project works directly with coffee farmers in impoverished countries and regions, improving their production conditions and offering purchase prices 20% higher than fair trade prices.

The project's original purpose also includes strengthening the connection between roasters and farmers while guiding farmers to cultivate high-quality coffee. To date, Sasa has established relationships with growers in eight countries, including Brazil, Panama, India, Ethiopia, El Salvador, and Costa Rica.

Flavor Description

Sweet citrus notes, green berry, peach, longan and red date aroma, honey sweetness, cocoa undertones with subtle spice, a full body and a long-lasting finish.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If a washed Yirgacheffe like Aricha G1 is your kind of cup, FrontStreet's Yirgacheffe range lets you explore the region from the classic to the specific. FrontStreet Washed Yirgacheffe is the entry-level classic, known for white jasmine, bright citrus and lemon acidity, and a tea-like body, at a price that makes it the natural first bag of specialty coffee. For a single-origin lot, FrontStreet Gededing Cooperative comes from the Worka area at the southeastern edge of Yirgacheffe; it began as part of the Worka cooperative under the YCFCU before becoming its own cooperative, and because the pulp is stripped before drying, its inherent aromatics come through clearer and more transparent, showing citrus and lemon with an elegant white floral lift and a bright, delicate overall profile. FrontStreet Natural Red Cherry takes the other path: fully ripe, sound cherries are dried whole on raised beds and turned every few hours early on, then destoned and re-sorted for quality after the sugar and essence of the fruit have seeped into the beans. It keeps the typical Yirgacheffe character while adding tropical fruit from the natural process, with citrus acidity, a juicy berry body, honey sweetness, and a creamy smoothness; expect peach, cocoa, honey, and lemon.

To brew any of these, use a V60 with 15g of coffee at a 1:15 ratio and 90-91°C water, ground to a medium-fine size around fine sugar, roughly 80% passing a China #20 standard sieve. Bloom with 30g for 30 seconds, then pour in stages to about 125g and finally to 225g, finishing the drawdown in roughly 2:00-2:10.