Ethiopian Coffee Regions: Characteristics and Flavor Comparison_Ethiopian Coffee Beans Price per Bag

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Ethiopia is the homeland of Arabica coffee. It is in the forests of Ethiopia's Kaffa region that you can find wild Arabica coffee. In the Ethiopian language, coffee is called "Bun" or "Buna," and "coffee bean" may be derived from "Kaffa Bun." The Harar region discovered Arabica coffee very early, likely originating from the Kaffa forest.

Ethiopian coffee beans are processed using both natural and washed methods. Coffee processed with different methods shows significant flavor differences. Generally, washed Sidamo, Yirgacheffe, and Limmu coffees have slightly lower body and earthy flavors, while naturally processed coffee has a wilder taste. However, each batch of Ethiopian coffee may have different taste profiles, which requires frequent cupping to find truly excellent coffee.

Ethiopian Coffee Grades

Ethiopian washed Yirgacheffe coffee G1 G2

The highest grades for Sidamo (Yirgacheffe, Sidamo) are Grade 2 and Grade 3 (G2, G3).

Naturally processed coffee from Ethiopia's eastern regions is mostly Grade 4 or Grade 5 (G4, G5).

In many cases, Grade 4 coffee is labeled as Grade 5 to reduce taxation. The current grading system is not uniform and somewhat chaotic, as there are also naturally processed Grade 1 and Grade 2 (Grand G2) Yirgacheffe coffees, but Harar's highest grade is Grade 4 (G4).

Ethiopia's main coffee-producing regions are Sidamo, Harrar, and Yirgacheffe. Sidamo and Harrar are provincial administrative divisions. Sidamo is located in southern Ethiopia, bordering Kenya, while Harrar is in eastern Ethiopia, bordering Somalia. Although Yirgacheffe is a small area within the larger Sidamo region, due to soil composition and moisture content, its coffee is considered the best in Ethiopia.

In the West, Ethiopian coffee beans are typically marketed under the names Yirgacheffe, Sidamo, and Harrar. In the specialty coffee sector, there are five other regional coffees: Limmu, Djimmah, Lekempti, Bebeka, and Wolega. Most commonly seen are Ethiopian Sidamo or Harrar coffees.

Regional Coffee Varieties

Harar Coffee is produced in the eastern highlands of Ethiopia. The beans are medium-sized, greenish-yellow, with medium acidity and full body, featuring typical mocha flavor. It is one of the world's most famous coffees.

Wollega (Nekempte) Coffee comes from western Ethiopia. The beans are medium to large in size and famous for their rich fruity flavors. They have a greenish, brownish color, with good acidity and body. They can be used for blending or as single-origin coffee.

Limu Coffee is famous for its aromatic, wine-like flavor and is highly popular in Europe and America. It has good acidity and body, and washed Limu coffee is also a favorite in the specialty coffee world. The beans are medium-sized, greenish-blue, and mostly round.

Sidama Coffee beans are medium-sized and greenish-gray. Washed Sidamo coffee is characterized by balanced taste and flavor, earning it the nickname "sweet coffee." It has delicate acidity and good body, comes from southern Ethiopia, and can be used for blending or as premium single-origin coffee.

Yirgacheffe Coffee has intense floral flavor characteristics.

Washed Yirgacheffe is one of the world's best high-altitude coffees, with gentle acidity and rich body. Top and Bebeka coffees have low acidity but high body, making them indispensable members in coffee blends.

Ethiopian Coffee Bean Brand Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee's freshly roasted single-origin Ethiopian coffee beans - such as Yirgacheffe and Sidamo coffees - offer full guarantees in both brand and quality, suitable for brewing with various equipment. More importantly, they offer extremely high cost-effectiveness. A half-pound (227g) bag costs only around 70-90 yuan. Calculating based on 200ml per cup with a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, one bag can produce 15 cups of specialty coffee, with each cup costing only 5-6 yuan. Compared to café prices that often reach dozens of yuan per cup, this offers exceptional value.

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but diverse bean varieties, where you can find both famous and lesser-known beans. They also provide online store services at https://shop104210103.taobao.com

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473