Sidamo Coffee: A Comprehensive Guide to All Aspects of Sidamo Coffee

Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee, with numerous coffee varieties. Nearly all coffee varieties worldwide originated from Ethiopia. Each coffee-producing region in Ethiopia offers distinct flavors. Both Sidamo and Yirgacheffe are premium coffee regions in Ethiopia, producing both washed and natural processed coffees. Yirgacheffe is most famous for its washed Yirgacheffe coffee, while Sidamo is renowned for its natural processed "Horse" coffee. At FrontStreet Coffee, both coffee varieties from the Sidamo region are natural processed.

Sidamo green coffee beans appear slightly grayish, with some areas being coarse while others are fine. They possess both gentle and bright acidity, moderate body, sweet and spicy flavors, and are among the garden coffees of Ethiopia's southern highlands. Unlike typical African coffees, Sidamo features clear fruit acidity, a smooth mouthfeel, and delicate floral and herbal aromas.

Ethiopia's climate is polarized: half consists of humid rainforests, while the other half is arid desert and Gobi. Coffee cultivation is mainly distributed in high-altitude rainforests. The local main rainy season spans June to August, with annual precipitation in coffee-growing areas ranging from 1000-2000mm and average temperatures between 15-30°C. Ethiopia has many high mountains that are tropical cloud forests, with coffee primarily grown on plateaus. The lower temperatures at high altitudes result in fewer pests, reducing the need for pesticides. Additionally, coffee cherries ripen more slowly, allowing coffee trees more time to absorb nutrients.

Sidamo Coffee Region

The Sidamo region is located in southern Ethiopia, extending east to the Arsi and Bale administrative regions and west to the Gamogofa administrative region. Sidamo coffee is cultivated at altitudes between 1400m-2000m. Agriculture dominates the local economy, with main coffee-growing areas surrounding the Great Rift Valley. Sidamo has developed rapidly in recent years and has become an important coffee export hub. Sidamo's coffee flavors are incredibly diverse, with different soil types, microclimates, and countless native coffee varieties creating distinct differences and characteristics in coffee produced by each town.

The most famous coffee-growing areas in the Sidamo region include Guji and West Arsi. Most areas in Sidamo use natural processing methods for green coffee beans. FrontStreet Coffee believes that natural processing gives Sidamo region coffee beans rich fruity aromas and smooth mouthfeel.

Guji Region

The Guji region was formerly part of the Sidamo region but was established as an independent new region by the Ethiopia Commodity Exchange (ECX) in 2010. Located southeast of Yirgacheffe, Guji features complex topographical changes including towering mountains, valleys, and plains. The region's geology consists of fertile black soil (Vertisol) with depths reaching nearly two meters and an average altitude above 1800 meters. The significant temperature differences between day and night, created by geographical characteristics, provide the terroir conditions necessary for producing high-quality specialty coffee. FrontStreet Coffee must mention the "Horse" variety when discussing what made Guji region famous.

The "Horse" coffee variety comes from Hambella, located in Ethiopia's largest coffee-producing region of Guji, administratively belonging to the Oromia state. Hambella's western side faces Yirgacheffe's Kochere across mountains, separated by a 3200-meter-high, 30-kilometer-wide highland. To the southeast, east, and north, it borders Guji's Shakiso, Uraga, and Kercha sub-regions, making it Ethiopia's highest-altitude coffee sub-region.

Currently, there are about 20 processing plants of various scales in the Hambella region. In 2017, Ethiopia's DW green coffee company sent their coffee beans to the Taste Of Harvest (TOH) green coffee competition hosted by the African Fine Coffee Association. A natural processed batch from the "Buku Abel" processing plant won the TOH Ethiopia championship with its rich strawberry and cream aroma. That same year, this batch of green beans was imported to China by Beijing green coffee trader Hongshun. Subsequently, Li Jianfei used this coffee to win second place in the 2017 World Brewers Cup China region competition. This Ethiopian variety stood out among many participating Geisha coffees, earning it the name "Horse" (Geisha means "geisha" in Japanese, while "花魁" [horse] means the leader among geishas, indicating this coffee's outstanding quality).

Therefore, in a narrow sense, "Horse coffee" can only refer to the 2017 TOH natural process champion that entered China. Of course, it would be a pity if such a wonderful name were merely fleeting. Consequently, Hongshun continued to import coffee beans from the "Buku Abel" processing plant in Hambella region, naming them Horse 2.0, Horse 3.0, and Horse 3.1 to distinguish them from the original Horse coffee and represent different batches or harvest seasons. At this point, Horse coffee maintained certain characteristics: it was still procured and imported by Hongshun, with production region locked to Hambella's "Buku Abel" processing plant.

Subsequently, DW company established additional processing plants in Hambella's core Dimtu region: "Buku Abel," "Buku Saysay," "Haro Soresa," and "Tirtiro Goye," with an annual coffee production of about 1100 tons. In terms of growing region and processing plants, only those from the "Buku Abel" processing plant's processing area cover the original small-producing area that yielded the natural processed coffee "Horse." This means: only coffee beans produced by Buku Abel and natural processed can be called "Horse."

The area where Horse coffee is grown has an altitude of over 2000 meters, with coffee trees surrounded by tropical plants like sugarcane and bananas that provide appropriate shade. Coffee is an agricultural crop, naturally having direct relationships with climate and environment, so each year's flavors will be somewhat different. The Horse X.0 naming system is based on year: Horse 2.0 was launched in 2018, Horse 3.0 and 3.1 in 2019, Horse 4.0 in 2020, Horse 5.0 in 2021, Horse 6.0 in 2022... Now Horse 8.0 has also been officially launched, becoming a daily drink coffee bean on many people's must-buy lists.

West Arsi Region

West Arsi is located between the famous Yirgacheffe coffee-growing region and Hararge, at altitudes of 1900-2200m, situated in the western part of the Sidamo region. The area's name comes from a branch of the Oromo people who have long inhabited this region.

West Arsi consists of three woredas (Ethiopian third-level administrative divisions): Arsi, Bale, and East Shewa. Approximately 88.52% of West Arsi's population are Oromo people, which is very important in coffee history because they were the first tribe in human history to drink coffee. Half of Ethiopia's coffee production comes from this region.

Coffee cultivation in the West Arsi region follows smallholder farming patterns, with average smallholder farms not being large, about 2-3 hectares each. However, even so, their areas are often slightly larger than the typical 1.5-2 hectares in most Ethiopian regions. Although current coffee cultivation techniques are still developing, West Arsi's coffee cultivation technology is developing very rapidly compared to other regions. Coffee farmers don't need to hire temporary or full-time workers; instead, they select coffee with family help. This allows them better control over coffee quality, and processing stations typically pay extra fees for fully ripe red cherries, greatly motivating coffee farmers.

Horse Coffee Varieties

Like many Ethiopian coffee beans, Horse coffee's variety is what we often hear called "Heirloom." The garden planting system is the survival mode for the vast majority of Ethiopian smallholders. Heirloom varieties come from "unknown varieties" in their backyards. Coffee trees might have been left by previous landowners, shared between neighbors, or possibly grown from seeds from another origin. Various coffee plants are intercropped with other economic crops on the land, harvested when ripe and sold.

Therefore, Heirloom doesn't refer to a specific coffee variety; it represents a green coffee blend from the growing area. Coffee combines the concurrent harvests of multiple smallholders, mixed together, with a single batch potentially covering dozens or hundreds of undifferentiated varieties. It's precisely because of differences between varieties and different mixing methods each time that these coffee beans vary in particle size, dimensions, and shape—some large, some small, some long, some round—somewhat like a mixed stew.

Coffee Bean Processing Methods

Sidamo coffee beans are processed using both washed and natural methods. The washed processing method involves selecting quality fruits, removing pulp and skin, then entering water tanks for fermentation and soaking, followed by drying to about 12% moisture content. The natural processing method is relatively simpler, using sunlight to directly dry the fruits to about 12% moisture content before removing pulp and skin.

Different processing methods also result in different flavor profiles in coffee beans. Washed processing better reflects Sidamo coffee's original citrus acidity and floral aromas, while natural processing adds aroma on top of the original flavors.

Natural processed Sidamo has flavors close to floral notes with slight earthy tones. Washed processing carries nutty fruit aromas with light cocoa notes, but both share smooth mouthfeel and viscosity, comfortable pleasant acidity and aroma. Light or medium roast is suitable for single-origin, while medium or dark roast works well for blends and as a good Espresso base.

FrontStreet Coffee's Sidamo Brewing Parameters:

For light roast Sidamo coffee, FrontStreet Coffee chooses: V60 dripper, water temperature 90°C, water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, coffee dose 15g, grind size (80% pass-through rate on China #20 standard sieve).

Using segmented extraction, bloom with 2 times the coffee dose in water, meaning 30g water for 30 seconds blooming. The blooming process is necessary to allow coffee grounds to release internal carbon dioxide gas, making subsequent extraction more stable. With small water flow in circular motion, pour to 125g for segmentation, continue pouring to 225g then stop. Once the water from the dripper finishes dripping, remove the dripper. Time from the start of pouring: extraction time 2'00". Next, take the entire cup and shake it evenly, then pour into cups for tasting.

[Natural Process Arsi Coffee Flavor]: Aroma of berries and honey, jam-like sweetness spreads throughout the mouth upon entry, full of sweetness, nectarine flavors in the finish, juice-like mouthfeel. After cooling, it becomes even more like plum and nectarine-flavored juice.

[Natural Process Horse 5.0 Coffee Flavor]: Very prominent floral and fruit aromas, citrus, passion fruit, strawberry, oolong tea, with high sweetness.

In the flavor comparison between these two coffees, Arsi's fruity sweetness and juice-like quality are slightly superior, especially when hot, the jam and honey flavors are irresistible, and the juice sensation becomes more pronounced as temperature drops, very comfortable.

Horse leans toward tropical fruit flavors, with alternating surprises between sweetness and acidity. Between the two, Horse has a more pronounced fermentation sensation.

FrontStreet Coffee's Brewing Suggestions:

For coffee brewing, regardless of what type of coffee is being brewed, FrontStreet Coffee has always believed that coffee bean freshness greatly affects coffee flavor. Therefore, coffee beans shipped by FrontStreet Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) are all roasted within 5 days. FrontStreet Coffee's roasting philosophy is "Freshly Roasted Good Coffee," ensuring every customer who places an order receives the freshest coffee when it arrives. Coffee's resting period is about 4-7 days, so when customers receive it, it's at peak flavor.

For friends who need ground coffee, FrontStreet Coffee kindly reminds: if coffee beans are ground in advance, there's no need for resting, because during transportation, the pressure from carbon dioxide in the packaging also helps round out the coffee flavors, so you can brew a cup immediately upon receiving the ground coffee. However, ground coffee needs to be brewed promptly, because ground coffee oxidizes quickly when exposed to air, meaning coffee flavors dissipate faster, and the coffee won't taste as good. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee recommends purchasing whole beans and grinding fresh before brewing to better experience the coffee's flavors.

Sidamo is just one of Ethiopia's specialty coffee regions. Ethiopia is a treasure waiting to be discovered, with each coffee-producing region offering different coffee flavors. FrontStreet Coffee has sourced over a dozen Ethiopian coffees, including local heirloom varieties and Geisha varieties. Of course, Ethiopia's Geisha is different from Panama's Geisha variety—each has its merits—but Panama's Geisha coffee flavors are consistently better than Ethiopia's Geisha flavors. This stems from Panama's climate and environment. Whether Ethiopia, Panama, Costa Rica, Colombia, or Brazil, FrontStreet Coffee has coffees from all these producing countries, and has selected some of the most representative coffees from each country as FrontStreet Coffee's daily drink beans. Everyone can choose their favorite flavors through these daily drink beans.

For more specialty coffee beans, please add FrontStreet Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) on private WeChat, WeChat ID: qjcoffeex

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