Yirgacheffe Banko Gotiti Coffee Bean Washed Processing Flavor Characteristics and Story | Yirgacheffe Pour-Over Brewing Parameters

Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Banko Gotiti Coop

FrontStreet Coffee Customer Service · Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Banko Gotiti Coop

Country: Ethiopia

Region: Yirgacheffe, Gedeo Zone

Altitude: 2000-2100m

Variety: Heirloom

Processing: Washed

Grade: G1

Yirgacheffe, as one of the regions renowned for its citrus fruit flavors, has been enthusiastically embraced by many coffee lovers. FrontStreet Coffee also explores coffee beans from the Yirgacheffe region and has found a coffee with exceptional flavor profile – FrontStreet Coffee's washed Yirgacheffe produced by the Banko Gotiti Cooperative.

About Yirgacheffe

Yirgacheffe was originally a small town in Ethiopia, located in the Sidamo administrative region. This town has been a wetland since ancient times – in the local language, "Yirga" means "settle down" and "Cheffe" means "wetland." Yirgacheffe is one of the world's highest-altitude coffee-growing regions and synonymous with Ethiopian specialty coffee. With an elevation of 1700-2100 meters, consistently cool and foggy weather, and a spring-like climate year-round, the geographical environment and unique cultivation system provide optimal conditions for growing specialty coffee beans.

Strictly speaking, Yirgacheffe is a sub-region of Sidamo. This town is located in the northwest of Sidamo, nestled by mountains and lakes, and is one of Ethiopia's highest-altitude coffee-growing regions. However, due to its unique flavor profile, it became independent from Sidamo, establishing its own identity and becoming one of Africa's most prestigious coffee regions.

The so-called "Yirgacheffe flavor" we often refer to includes intense jasmine floral notes, lemon or lime citrus aromas, as well as peach and almond sweetness with tea-like notes. FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe coffee offers rich layers and delicate body, with captivating flavors and a sweet aftertaste. The phrase "flowers bloom as coffee enters the mouth" perfectly describes this experience – it evokes the pleasant sensation of flowers stimulating the taste buds and olfactory cells. Beyond the floral aromas, the delicate body feels like silk massaging the mouth, creating a marvelous tactile experience.

Yirgacheffe Region Introduction

Gedeb is a town located below Kochere town, 60 kilometers from Yirgacheffe town, and is a renowned specialty coffee bean-producing region in Ethiopia. With an altitude of 1900-2200 meters, it is significantly higher than most Yirgacheffe regions. The advantage of high altitude makes Gedeb an exceptionally favorable region for coffee cultivation – a gradually emerging micro-region. Although ECX auction markets classify this town as part of the Kochere region, it holds the same administrative level as Kochere town.

In the specialty coffee industry, it can be distinguished from Kochere as an independent Yirgacheffe sub-region of the same level. This town includes villages such as Worka Sakaro, Halo Bariti, Banko Gotiti, and Banko Dahato that produce coffee.

Banko Gotiti Cooperative

The Banko Gotiti Cooperative is located in the Worka region at the southeastern end of Yirgacheffe. It was originally part of the Worka Cooperative under the Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union (YCFCU). However, as people increasingly pursued traceability of coffee beans, individual "single origins" were gradually discovered by coffee hunters worldwide. Therefore, in 2012, Banko Gotiti, with approximately 300 member farmers, independently established the "Banko Gotiti Cooperative."

Banko Gotiti village was one of the first village areas to become independent. Many small-scale farmers were originally members of the Worka Cooperative, so their coffee production skills are unquestionable. The Banko Gotiti Cooperative is known as the last pure land of Yirgacheffe, so it also adopts very traditional processing methods (washed and natural processing).

Processing Method

After harvesting, coffee cherries are immediately sent for processing, typically within 6 to 12 hours of picking. The coffee cherries are first weighed, then soaked in water to select fruits that float due to insufficient quality.

Next, the coffee cherries are sent to a pulping machine to remove the skin and pulp. This step removes the outer skin and pulp from the coffee cherries. The depulped coffee cherries are then placed in fermentation tanks or barrels for 18 to 36 hours, where enzymes break down the mucilage/pectin in the coffee cherries. The de-mucilaged coffee cherries in the tank are washed with appropriate amounts of water. During washing, stirring removes pectin decomposition products from the coffee bean surface. After washing, only the coffee parchment, silver skin, and green beans remain.

The washed coffee beans are then sorted to remove defective beans. They are subsequently sent to drying areas (waterproof tarps, cement floors, raised beds, etc.) for drying. The drying time depends on environmental climate factors and generally ranges from 5 to 14 days. During this time, the moisture content of the coffee beans drops from 55% to 11%.

FrontStreet Coffee's Roasting Reference

For Yirgacheffe beans, FrontStreet Coffee's roasters often use light roasting to present their floral and fruity characteristics. For this FrontStreet Coffee washed Banko Gotiti, we still use low heat to extend the dehydration time of the beans.

Preheat the roaster to 175°C, start with the airflow setting at 3, and heat at 120. The return temperature point is at 1'32". When the drum temperature reaches 140°C, maintain the heat and increase the airflow to 4. At this point, the bean surface turns yellow, the grassy smell completely disappears, and it enters the dehydration stage. At 166°C, reduce the heat to 100, and at 176°C, reduce the heat to 80, keeping the airflow unchanged.

At 8'28", ugly wrinkles and black spots appear on the bean surface, and the toast aroma clearly transitions to coffee aroma. This can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this point, listen carefully for the sound of the first crack. First crack begins at 9'38", adjust the airflow to 5 (adjust heat very carefully – it should not be so low that the cracking stops), develop for 1'30" after first crack, and drop at 193.5°C.

FrontStreet Coffee's Brewing Reference

Recommended brewing method: Pour-over

Dripper: Hario V60

Water temperature: 92°C

Dose: 15 grams

Ratio: 1:15

Grind size: Medium-fine (Chinese standard 20-mesh sieve 80% pass-through)

Brewing technique:分段式萃取 (Segmented extraction). Use 30g of water for a 30-second bloom. With a small water flow, pour in circles to 120g, then create a segment. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g and stop. Wait for the water level to drop and is about to expose the coffee bed, then remove the filter cup. (Counting starts from the bloom) Extraction time is 1'50".

Flavor: The overall mouthfeel is solid, with fermentation aroma and tropical fruit notes being prominent. As the temperature changes, berry and cream flavors emerge. The citrus sweet and sour sensation that lingers between the teeth and lips is quite persistent.

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