Recommended Ethiopian Coffee Brands How to Choose Ethiopian Coffee Beans Ethiopian Coffee Price

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Ethiopia is known as the "birthplace of coffee." The country has a unique custom: no matter how poor a household may be, they will always have a coffee pot and a charcoal stove. Why? Because coffee is considered something that must be prepared daily by the local people. They believe fertilizers are too expensive, so they never use them. After the coffee is brewed, it is served in three rounds. The first round is given to the male elders because this first brew is the most concentrated, showing respect to the male elders. The second round is served to the visiting women. Following that, the third round, which is the lightest, is given to the visiting children. This three-round process is a very distinctive local coffee tradition.

Introduction to Ethiopian Coffee Bean Growing Regions

Harar

Harar is located in the eastern highlands of Ethiopia (Harerge province) and grows at elevations between 5,000-7,000 feet. A century ago, it still grew wild on the mountainsides. The raw beans are mostly medium-sized with pointed ends, greenish-yellow or golden in color. When roasted, they emit a strong chocolate aroma. The flavor is wild with moderate acidity and rich texture - a very typical mocha flavor. Good Harar carries jasmine fragrance and a wine-like fermented aftertaste. In some ways, it's comparable to Yemen's Mattari from the Bani Matar region, perhaps even superior.

Today's Harar still uses traditional natural processing methods for raw beans and is typically exported through the nearby town of Dire Dawa. Its annual production is about 185,000 bags (60kg each), with exports commonly being Longberry (evolved from early Arabica varieties) and mostly Grade 5 (G5) or Grade 4 (G4). Unfortunately, fine Harar is often smuggled to Yemen and sold at higher prices as mocha beans, a problem that continues unabated.

When brewing, besides being enjoyed as single-origin coffee, its rich flavor and wine-like acidity also make it an excellent espresso base.

Djimmah

This region, accounting for about 50% of Ethiopia's total annual production, is located in the southwestern highlands (bordering Kaffa and Illubabor provinces) and grows at elevations between 4,400-6,000 feet. It is typically exported as G5/G4.

However, in recent years, about 10-20% of Djimmah has been used to supplement blended coffees where flavor is lacking, though its quality has gradually declined below its original standards. Yet it receives polarized reviews from coffee buyers (my friend uses only Djimmah as espresso base in his shop, and its intense flavor surprised me). Like Harar, this coffee follows ancient natural processing methods and also carries some wine-like acidity, though slightly inferior to Harar. It has medium texture, is rough with earthy notes.

Ghimbi and Lekempti

Grown in the western Ethiopian highlands of Wollega province at elevations of 4,900-5,900 feet, north of Djimmah. Most are wild-grown, with annual production of about 500,000 bags (60kg each), mostly exported as G5/G4. The beans are larger and longer than Longberry, greenish-brown in color. The flavor is similar to but lacks jasmine tea fragrance, with more bitterness and less vibrant acidity than Harar. It has mild acidity with slight fruit and wine notes, though inferior to Harar, but has good texture and viscosity. Ghimbi beans are nicknamed "poor man's Harar."

The flavor is complex yet balanced, with better throat-coating and long aftertaste when dark roasted. It's one of many roasters' favorite blending components, though it can also serve as a decent single-origin coffee, suitable for after-dinner drinking.

Limu

Grown in the southwestern highlands of Ethiopia (bordering Shewa and Sidmo provinces), east of Djimmah and north of Sidamo, at elevations between 3,600-6,200 feet. It is preferred by most Europeans and Americans. Mostly washed, with annual production of about 110,000 bags (60kg each). The beans are medium-sized, mostly round (15/16 screen), greenish-blue in color, and mostly exported as G2 grade. The flavor is similar to Yirgacheffe but with thinner viscosity. However, it has distinct floral and fruit flavors, with more delicate acidity than Yirgacheffe. The aftertaste is wine-like, with excellent and balanced quality. It's a noteworthy Ethiopian specialty coffee after Yirgacheffe, but almost all Limu is vertically integrated and exported by Ethiopian coffee organizations, making it nearly impossible to find domestically.

It's said to be more suitable for medium air-roasting, not deep roasting, with optimal flavor appearing two to three days after roasting. In fact, good Limu is comparable to Yirgacheffe (this is actually a subjective matter of personal opinion).

Sidamo

Grown in the southernmost Ethiopian highlands at elevations between 4,600-7,200 feet (Sidamo province), southeast of Djimmah and directly south of the capital. It typically has noticeable sweetness and is preferred by many people. Annual production is about 225,000 bags (60kg each). The beans are smaller than Longberry, greenish-gray in color. In Sidamo's natural drying fields, coffee is placed on wooden racks with jute nets, where workers manually turn the coffee under sunlight. Natural processed Sidamo is mostly exported as G4, while washed Sidamo is mostly exported as G2 grade due to more refined processing than natural methods.

Natural processed coffee has floral notes with some earthiness. Washed coffee carries nutty fruit fragrance with slight cocoa notes. Both share smooth texture, viscosity, pleasant acidity, and aroma. Medium roast is suitable for single-origin, while dark roast works well for blending and as a good espresso base.

Yirgacheffe

The name comes from two parts: Yirga is the name of a town in Sidamo meaning "settle," and Cheffe means "municipality."

It grows in the southern Ethiopian highlands at elevations of 5,700-7,800 feet, located in the northwestern part of Sidamo province, near Lake Abaya. It typically has noticeable sweetness and is preferred by many people. Annual production is about 225,000 bags (60kg each). The beans are smaller than Longberry, greenish-gray in color, mostly washed. In washing stations, coffee cherries are fermented in water-filled tanks after harvest, where workers use simple wooden rakes to stir for easier washing. The washing station always has a sharp fruity fermentation smell and the sound of cherries colliding in the tanks. When the cherries become soft and sticky, they are directly pulped and washed, leaving only parchment-covered beans. After final washing, they are dried directly outside the washing station.

The flavor resembles a combination of lemon and citrus, with excellent viscosity and complex flavor (personally, I think sometimes its famous name leads to overemphasis and exaggeration, even though I like its flavor). Mostly exported as G2, suitable for medium roasting as single-origin.

Additionally, most are produced by state-owned institutions but are few in quantity and less known to the world. Only briefly mentioned here are Teppi and Bebeka. Teppi grows at elevations between 3,600-6,200 feet with annual production of about 50,000 bags (60kg each). Bebeka grows at elevations between 3,000-3,900 feet with annual production of about 30,000 bags (60kg each). Both are planted in the lower southwestern regions of Ethiopia and are almost exclusively used for blending.

Ethiopian Coffee Bean Brand Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee's roasted Ethiopian coffee beans offer full guarantees in both brand and quality. More importantly, they offer exceptional value-for-money. A half-pound (227g) package costs only about 90 yuan. Calculating at 15g per cup, one package can make 15 cups of coffee, with each cup costing only about 6 yuan. Compared to café prices that often exceed 100 yuan per cup, this is truly a conscientious recommendation.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473