Introduction to Ethiopia's Lekempti Coffee Region and Analysis of Lekempti Coffee Bean Roasting Techniques

Ethiopia Lekempti Grade 4 - Natural/Dry Processed

Lekempti, rendered as "Liekan(Pu)di" in Chinese and "Lakamuti" in Japanese English; both pronunciations are in common use.

Altitude: 1700-2200 m (5570-7210 ft)

Cupping Notes: Refreshing acidity, berry aroma, burgundy-red wine body, a distinct and recognizable fragrance.

Annual Exports: 3,000 MT (tons) unwashed (Grade 4), 27,000 MT unwashed (Grade 5)

Roasting Experience

We were lucky to get this lot at all. Only a single batch was available, so we were relieved that nothing went wrong during the roast.

The green beans were far from uniform, which is to be expected with natural processed Ethiopian coffee and is entirely normal.

First we sorted out the defective beans, which accounted for roughly 1/7 of the total. The beans were mostly elongated and uneven in size.

The roast itself was smooth, with no unpleasant grassy flavors. There were not many surprises along the way, though occasional hints of sweetness came through.

First crack arrived when the bean surface reached 200°C. Total roasting time was 11 minutes and 30 seconds, with a final temperature of 213°C.

Post-Roast Evaluation

The roasted beans looked beautiful, although white beans made up about 1/6 of the batch and needed to be sorted out.

After sorting, the beans were relatively uniform. If you are curious, you might brew the white beans separately before deciding whether to remove them.

The dry fragrance showed Ethiopia's signature aromatics, led by berry notes that flowed smoothly into the nose.

The wet fragrance showed no significant change.

Flavor and Mouthfeel

On the palate, the berry aroma lingered in the aftertaste. The mouthfeel was on the thin side, with subtle red wine characteristics that were present but not prominent, and fairly ordinary overall.

The acidity on the front palate and the sweetness on the back palate read as distinct "points" rather than blending and spreading across the mouth.

Aftertaste

What interested me most was the fragrance of the aftertaste. The body was not substantial enough, which reminded me of a Harrar Mocha.

New vs. Old Beans: Is There a Difference?

Yes, there is a difference. Can you taste it? You probably can.

If you judge by how refined the acidity is, new-crop beans show more varied development.

Older beans, then, may be roasted darker to mask this by building sweetness. A darker roast can also make the flavor more consistent.

That consistent, simple sensation is what many people recognize as coffee...

1. Ethiopia Lekumpti Coffee

Medium-roasted Ethiopian coffee has a distinctive charcoal-fired flavor with prominent bitterness. The aftertaste carries slight acidity, while the aroma shows subtle grassy notes. This coffee is also used as the base for custom lattes.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Lekempti is a natural, or dry processed, Ethiopian coffee, and that is exactly the family FrontStreet returns to when we want berry fruit and wine-like depth. FrontStreet Coffee Natural Yirgacheffe Red Cherry is processed from fully ripe red cherries only. The fruit goes straight onto raised beds, where it is turned every 2-3 hours in the first few days to prevent uneven heat and over-fermentation, then dried for three to five weeks before the dried pulp is removed and the coffee rested in the warehouse. Drying with the fruit still on gives it both the classic Yirgacheffe profile and the tropical fruit of a natural process: citrus-like acidity, a berry-juice body, honeyed sweetness and a creamy smoothness.

If you want to push further into the fruit, FrontStreet Coffee Natural Huakui comes from the Hambella area of Guji, Sidamo, on a 200-hectare farm that uses traditional natural processing. Ripe cherries are dried on raised beds for 21 days, turned constantly for even drying, hand-sorted every three to five days to remove moldy or defective fruit, and finally hulled once the skin has dried hard. Because the fruit and skin stay on throughout drying, a medium-light roast yields a light fermented wine note, florals, citrus and mango, with a much richer, more complex cup: honeyed sweetness, cocoa, a touch of spice, a thick body and a long finish.

Both coffees share the berry-led, wine-tinged character of this Lekempti lot, so they are the most natural place to continue exploring natural Ethiopian coffee.