Ethiopia Limu Region Washed G1 Coffee Flavor: How to Enjoy Washed Limu Coffee Beans

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Where does coffee come from? Or perhaps, where is the birthplace of coffee? This question often gives the impression that someone is just starting their coffee journey—it's one of those essential questions for beginners! Coffee originates from Ethiopia in Africa. Yes, that's right—the Africa you might印象ion as impoverished and barren is actually where coffee comes from? Believe it or not, coffee truly originates here.

Introduction to Ethiopian Coffee Regions

Ethiopian coffee primarily comes from eight major regions: Ekempti, Limu, Illubabor, Djimma, Harrar, Teppi/Bebeka, Sidamo, and Yirgacheffe. Ethiopian coffee is highly regarded in Taiwan, with Taiwanese coffee enthusiasts showing particular interest and passion for the three famous regions: Harrar, Sidamo, and Yirgacheffe.

The Sidamo Region

Sidamo province is located in southern Ethiopia, with Arsi province to the north, extending eastward to connect with Bale province, and bordered by the Gamu Gofa provincial administrative region to the west. The Sidamo provincial administrative region oversees two extremely famous producing areas: Yirgacheffe and Kochere. The region's economy is primarily based on agriculture, with coffee growing areas situated around the Great Rift Valley.

The Limu Region

Generally, the Limu region mainly produces washed beans, with a flavor profile that is somewhat milder than Sidamo region coffees, often featuring sweet lemon and citrus characteristics. Although not as famous as coffees from Sidamo or Yirgacheffe regions, Limu also produces many distinctive coffee beans. Limu coffee bean producers are mainly local small-scale farmers, though the region also has some large state-owned plantations. Local coffee is grown at altitudes between 1400-2200m, primarily using local native varieties, with the harvest season running from November to January.

This batch of Limu region washed G1 comes from within the Limu area, located northwest of Djimma. It is produced by local small-scale coffee farmers in the Limu region and has been classified as the highest grade G1 through EXC cupping evaluation, making it a green bean with excellent cost-performance ratio. For friends who often enjoy Yirgacheffe and Sidamo coffees, trying a different Limu region washed G1 coffee today will add variety to your coffee conversations.

The coffee variety grown is Ethiopia's native Heirloom. Local small-scale coffee farmers use 100% organic methods for cultivation. The soil is Vertisol. The growing altitude ranges from 1850 to 1900 meters. Limu coffee flavor features delicate floral notes, bright fruit acidity of apple, aloe, and kumquat, multi-layered mouthfeel, with the middle to back end transitioning to fragrant lime, sandalwood, and a sweet aftertaste with hints of cocoa.

Brief Introduction to the Limu Region

The Limu region is a small producing area in Ethiopia, located in the southwestern part of the country, with altitudes ranging from approximately 1200 to 1900 meters. It is mainly exported to European and American markets and was previously difficult to purchase domestically, though it's very popular in Europe and America, with its fame second only to Yirgacheffe.

The Limu region uses three processing methods: natural, washed, and semi-washed. Limu's flavor profile differs from Sidamo and Yirgacheffe, with noticeably lower viscosity, and its floral and citrus acidity performance is inferior to Yirgacheffe and Sidamo. However, it features a grassy fragrance and brown sugar aroma, along with sandalwood notes.

What Are Heirloom Varieties?

Getu Bekele, East African supply chain manager for America's Counter Culture Coffee, is dedicated to establishing an index of Ethiopian coffee varieties. He states that in Ethiopia, the term "heirloom" emerged after the specialty coffee movement began. At that time, specialty coffee buyers who couldn't distinguish between Typica and Bourbon differences would collectively refer to these unknown varieties as "heirloom."

However, Getu explains that Ethiopian coffee producers use different names to distinguish different coffee trees. They typically don't use globally recognized scientific names for these varieties, instead using local terminology or borrowing certain characteristics of native coffee trees to name specific varieties.

Medina Hussein, export department manager at coffee exporter DW Coffee and also an Ethiopian coffee supplier, states that specialty coffee buyers distinguish Ethiopian coffees by region, altitude, and cupping score, rather than by variety.

FrontStreet Coffee Ethiopia Limu G2 Washed Showcase

Product: Ethiopia Washed Limu G1

Flavor Description: Delicate floral notes, bright fruit acidity of apple, aloe, and kumquat, multi-layered mouthfeel, with the middle to back end transitioning to fragrant lime, sandalwood, and a sweet aftertaste with hints of cocoa.

Country of Origin: Ethiopia

Region: Limu Region

Variety: Heirloom (local native varieties)

Producer: Local small-scale coffee farmers from Limu region

Altitude: 1850-1900m

Grade: Washed G1

Harvest Period: October to February of the following year

Soil: Vertisol

FrontStreet Coffee Roasting Recommendations

Limu coffee beans have medium density. FrontStreet Coffee's roaster believes that medium roast is the most suitable roast level to showcase Limu's characteristics. The entry presents fresh grass fragrance with apple's acidic aroma, and this acidity makes the coffee mouthfeel fuller, with cocoa and berry aftertaste worth savoring.

Using a fast-roasting mode, preheat the drum to 200°C before adding beans, with the air damper set to 3. After 1 minute, reduce heat to 160°C, keeping the air damper unchanged. Roast to 5'10" at 150°C, when the bean surface turns yellow and grassy aroma completely disappears, indicating dehydration completion. Adjust heat to 130°C and open the air damper to 4. At 168°C is the Maillard reaction point—reduce heat to 100 to develop flavors. At 180°C, reduce heat again to 80, entering first crack with medium heat.

At 8 minutes, wrinkles and dark spots appear on the bean surface, with the toasted bread aroma clearly transitioning to coffee fragrance—this can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this point, listen carefully for the sound of first crack. First crack begins at 8'33", with the air damper fully open. Reduce heat to 50 at 189°C and roast to 194.6°C before dropping beans. Development time is 2'25".

FrontStreet Coffee Cupping Report

FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Parameter Recommendations

Dripper: V60 dripper

Dose: 15g

Water Temperature: 89°C

Water-to-Coffee Ratio: 1:15

Grind Size: BG#6S

FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Method Recommendations

Segmented Water Pouring

Use 30g of water for a 30-second bloom. When pouring with a small circular flow to 125g, create a segment. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g and stop. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed again, remove the dripper. Extraction time is 2 minutes.

Flavor Description

Apple, nuts, cocoa, caramel, with a dark plum aftertaste.

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