How to Roast Sun-Dried Harrar Coffee Beans_ Harrar vs. Yirgacheffe Which Tastes Better

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Discovering Harar: Ethiopia's Other Premium Coffee Region

When it comes to African coffee, everyone is familiar with Yirgacheffe. Its bright fruit acidity and rich floral notes blossom in the mouth, representing the epitome of washed Ethiopian coffee. Today, we're sharing with you another premium coffee region from Ethiopia—Harar, renowned for its natural processing method.

The Geography of Harar

Harar is an ancient city in eastern Ethiopia, but coffee is not grown within the city itself. What we call Harar coffee actually refers to coffee produced in the Hararghe Highlands of the greater Harar region. With an average annual rainfall of only 1,000 millimeters, the climate is drier and cooler than Sidamo and the Kaffa Forest, necessitating exclusively natural processing methods. In terms of flavor, coffee from the Eastern Hararghe Highlands tends to be cleaner than that from Western Hararghe, likely because farmers in the eastern region习惯 to remove the dried cherry's hard outer shell and parchment before selling the clean green beans.

The Famous "Mixed Aroma" of Harar

Harar coffee has long been famous for its "mixed aroma," representing a classic traditional flavor profile. It stands alongside Yirgacheffe as Ethiopia's "twin stars." If defective beans in Harar are carefully sorted out, one can easily detect berry notes with a pleasant fermented mixed aroma.

Harar's international auction prices have historically been higher than Yirgacheffe's, largely due to Saudi Arabia's preference for Harar's "mixed aroma" and their substantial purchasing.

Whether "Yirgacheffe flavor" is superior or "Harar flavor" is better remains a matter of personal preference. Generally, connoisseurs who prefer clean, uncluttered flavors might choose the former, while those who enjoy broader flavor spectrums might opt for the latter.

Harar's Unique Characteristics

Harar sits at an elevation of 1,600-2,400 meters, making the Harar Highlands in eastern Ethiopia one of the highest altitude regions for coffee cultivation (some even claim elevations reach 2,000-2,700 meters).

Across the Gulf of Aden, one can see the ports of Mocha and Aden in Yemen.

For hundreds of years, Harar coffee farmers have risked attacks from wild hyenas while transporting coffee beans via camel, donkey, or carriage to the port of Djibouti at the mountain's base, from where they're shipped by boat to Yemen's Mocha port and then to European countries.

Harar vs. Yirgacheffe: Distinct Differences

Harar's history is much more ancient than Yirgacheffe's, and its soil, climate, processing methods, and flavor profile differ significantly from Yirgacheffe. Harar has a dry, cool climate ideal for natural processing, with flavor characteristics similar to Yemen Mocha across the gulf, hence Harar is also known as Harar Mocha.

Harar coffee beans are typically long-shaped, distinctly different from Yirgacheffe's short, round beans.

Harar exclusively uses natural processing methods, making it dependent on weather conditions. If continuous rain occurs during the drying period, causing re-moistening and mold, musty flavors can develop.

Furthermore, unlike washed processing which involves multiple screening stages by both human and machine, natural processing relies entirely on workers' visual inspection to remove unripe or defective beans. When manpower is insufficient, this work is often done perfunctorily, making lax processing standards the primary reason for Harar's quality decline.

The Complex Flavor Profile of Premium Harar

Although natural processed beans have much more variability than washed beans, when fortunate enough to purchase high-quality Harar natural beans, they're worth every penny: rich natural fruit aromas, citrus sweetness, blueberry acidity, mango notes, clove, cinnamon, and even hints of leather and earthy notes create a complex bouquet. Harar's body surpasses washed Yirgacheffe, with moderate acidity and a finish slightly chocolatey. While the overall flavor may not be as clean as Yirgacheffe's, it's complex yet harmonious—this is the so-called Harar flavor, suitable for both light and dark roasts.

Personally, I prefer roasting to the beginning of second crack, where the unique natural fruit aromas become more concentrated. If you prefer blueberry's acidic notes, roast lighter, but don't expect consistent quality year after year.

FrontStreet Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee): A roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but diverse bean varieties, where you can find both famous and obscure beans, also offering online services. 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