Recommended Pour-Over Coffee Beans: Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Sidamo Limu Region Coffee Beans

FrontStreet Coffee Ethiopia Limu Tianlai Natural Process AFCA Third Place Coffee Bean Suitable for Pour-Over

Tasting Notes: Strawberry, Passion Fruit, Wine-like Ripe Fruits with a Delicate and Charming Aftertaste

Coffee Origin: Ethiopia

Coffee Region: Limu

Producer: Tianlai

Coffee Variety: Local Heirloom

Altitude: 1900m

Grade: AFCA Third Place

Processing Method: Natural Process

Roast Level: Light-Medium

Brewing Equipment: commercial espresso, American pot, pour-over, siphon, moka pot

Brewing Method:

1. Grind Size: Fuji grinder setting 3.5, roughly the size of granulated sugar.

2. Coffee-to-Water Ratio: 1:16, total water 240cc, 15g coffee.

3. Water Temperature: 88-90°C

4. Extraction Time: 1 minute 55 seconds total. Pour 30cc and bloom for 30 seconds. Continue pouring to 240cc, stop, and remove the filter cone at 1 minute 55 seconds to finish.

*The above is an example using a Hario filter cone. Parameters will vary with different equipment.*

Flavor Description: strawberry, passion fruit, wine-like ripe fruits with a delicate and charming aftertaste.

Roaster's Notes:

The Limu region in Ethiopia has always been a lesser-known producing area. Whether processed by washed or natural methods, Limu has been one of our favorite regions since we first encountered it in 2010, with flavors improving year after year. This year's Limu comes from the local Kosagxi Farm, which won the prestigious third place at the AFCA Africa Fine Coffee Competition. Its flavor is truly heavenly, deeply captivating and enchanting.

Region Introduction

Limu primarily produces washed beans, with a milder flavor profile than the Sidamo region, often showing citrus characteristics. Though not as famous as coffees from Sidamo or Yirgacheffe, Limu produces plenty of distinctive flavor.

Limu has lower production and is mainly exported to European and American markets. It was difficult to buy domestically in the past, but it is very popular in Europe and America, with a reputation second only to FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe. Limu's flavor profile differs from FrontStreet Coffee's Sidamo and FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe: its body is lighter, and the floral and citrus notes are less prominent than Yirgacheffe's or Sidamo's, yet it offers grassy and cocoa notes along with sandalwood flavors.

For those who often enjoy pour-over beans like FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe and FrontStreet Coffee's Sidamo, trying a different FrontStreet Coffee Limu washed coffee can add variety to your coffee conversations. The variety grown is Ethiopia's native heirloom, and local smallholders use 100% organic farming methods. The soil is vertisol type.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Limu is a lovely change of pace from the better-known Ethiopian regions, and if you enjoy it, FrontStreet's Yirgacheffe lineup makes a natural comparison. Start with FrontStreet's Washed Yirgacheffe, where the telltale jasmine fragrance and bright citrus and lemon acidity give way to a light, elegant, tea-like cup, and the price keeps it an easy everyday bean. For a more defined single-village expression, FrontStreet's Gudingding Cooperative comes from the Worka area at Yirgacheffe's southeastern edge and follows a traditional washed process, offering citrus and lemon tones with an elegant white-floral lift and a clean, luminous finish.

If you would rather lean into the fruit side that Limu hints at, FrontStreet's Natural Red Cherry is dried in the whole fruit and shows ripe berry juice, honeyed sweetness, and a creamy body alongside Yirgacheffe's signature citrus acidity. Brew these the way FrontStreet does: a V60 dripper, 90-91°C water, 15g of coffee at a 1:15 ratio, and a grind around fine-sugar texture, blooming with 30g of water for 30 seconds and finishing the pour in about two minutes. Serve them side by side with the Limu and the contrast between regions becomes wonderfully clear.