Flavor Profile of Yirgacheffe Alamo Mill Sun-Dried Ethiopian Heirloom Coffee

Coffee Origin Information

Country: Ethiopia

Region: Yirgacheffe, Dilla Town

Altitude: 1400 – 1800 meters

Variety: Ethiopian Heirloom

Producer: Aramo

Processing: Fully washed and dried on African raised beds

About the Cooperative

This is a washed lot exported directly by the YCFCU. Since the ECX system was introduced in 2008, most green coffee has been sold through that bidding channel, but cooperatives are exempt from the rule and can negotiate, price and export directly with buyers.

The Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers Cooperatives Union (YCFCU) was founded in 2002 and today counts 24 primary cooperatives with roughly 50,000 farmers. Besides the Mijane cooperative, well-known cooperatives such as Biloya, Konga, Harfusa and Worka all belong to YCFCU.

The Aramo cooperative was established in 1975 and joined YCFCU in 2002. It currently has 2,254 members, each farming no more than 4 hectares — Ethiopia's typical smallholder garden model. Every one to two years, members hold elections to choose an executive committee, which can decide on purchasing new equipment, how members are paid for their coffee, and other matters.

YCFCU also assigns professional managers to the cooperatives, who advise on harvesting, production and other processes to raise yields and improve quality. Having a cooperative means farmers avoid being exploited by low-ball collectors. When members run into financial trouble, the cooperative can offer loan assistance as well — good for the farmers and good for coffee production.

About the ECX

There are three main ways to buy Ethiopian coffee at origin: through importers and exporters, through cooperative unions, or by dealing directly with private farms or estates that hold import/export licenses. Importers usually buy what they need through the Ethiopia Commodity Exchange (ECX) trading system. At the end of 2008, Ethiopian authorities added coffee to the ECX system, ending the old arrangement in which middlemen monopolized prices, manipulated the market, dodged taxes and squeezed farmers. In 2009, with the support of the SCAA specialty coffee cupping system, a new trading and grading system was formally introduced.

Coffee from each region first travels to collection centers, where it is marked with a geographical indication based on its production area (Woreda) and graded by defect rate and cupping into ten levels: Q1–Q9 and UG (Under Grade). From there it goes to the exchange in the capital. Premium beans from across the regions classified as specialty grades Q1–Q3 are then assessed against SCAA grading and cupping standards.

Coffee scoring above 85 points is classified as Specialty Grade 1.

Coffee scoring 80 points or above but below 85 points belongs to Specialty Grade 2.

Coffee scoring below 80 points is categorized as commercial coffee.

Brewing Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee recommends brewing Yirgacheffe with water at 90–92°C, using a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:15–1:16 and a total brew time of 2 minutes to 2 minutes and 10 seconds. Use a three-stage pour-over: bloom with 30g of water for 30 seconds, pour to roughly 120g for the second stage, and begin the final pour to 225g as the water level drops and the coffee bed is about to show.

Tasting Notes

The cup opens with distinct, rich berry aromas of blueberry and strawberry, alongside light and elegant florals, ripe-fruit aromatics and a subtle sweet-and-sour fruit lift.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Washed Yirgacheffe is the classic entry point to Ethiopia's specialty coffee, and FrontStreet's Washed Yirgacheffe is exactly that kind of everyday cup. Known for white jasmine, bright citrus and lemon acidity and a tea-like body, it is roasted to bring out those clean, floral notes at a friendly price — which is why it has become the first specialty coffee for so many drinkers.

To go a step further, try FrontStreet's Gedeb Cooperative lot. Gedeb is a small village in the Yirgacheffe area, and the cooperative there handles its coffee with the most traditional washed methods. Because it is washed, it carries none of the old bitter character, only fresh, bright citrus and lemon acidity with a jasmine perfume that wins people over on the first sip. Roasted medium, it adds green tea and honey notes and works across pour-over, cold brew and espresso.