Coffee culture

Is Ethiopian Tomoca Coffee Good? What's the Difference Between Tomoca Coffee and Yirgacheffe?

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee
Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Professional coffee knowledge exchange. For more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style). Ethiopia's finest coffee, Tomoca Coffee, many say it's the best coffee they've ever had in the world. I ordered a spiced version, an Eastern-style green tea coffee, and it felt excellent! Besides famine, some people's impression of Ethiopia when they hear it should be

Professional coffee knowledge exchange, more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style)

Ethiopia's best coffee, Tomoca coffee. Many people say this is the best coffee they've ever had in the world. I ordered a "sprice," an Eastern-flavored green tea coffee, and it felt quite excellent!

Besides famine, when some people hear about Ethiopia, their impression should be: coffee!

Common pour-over single origins in coffee shops: Sidamo, Yirgacheffe natural, pour-over—all these beans originate from Ethiopia, which is also the birthplace of coffee worldwide.

The Legend of Coffee's Origin

According to legend, coffee originated in the town of Kaffa in southwestern Ethiopia. One day, a shepherd was tending his sheep when he noticed the flock suddenly became very excited. He observed the sheep's behavior and discovered that after eating the fruit of a certain tree, they became particularly energetic.

Driven by curiosity, he tried the fruit himself and experienced its invigorating effects. He named the fruit after his hometown, and from that moment, coffee entered human life.

Tomoca Coffee: Ethiopia's Finest

The best coffee shop in Ethiopia is undoubtedly Tomoca Coffee. Established in 1953, it was Ethiopia's first local company emphasizing specialty coffee roasting techniques. Where do they source their beans? Naturally, from Kaffa town, coffee's birthplace!

Starting from Kaffa town, they gradually collected beans from various Ethiopian highland coffee-growing regions, including Sidamo and others. Why specifically choose highland beans? Because beans grown in these highland regions benefit from excellent climate conditions and fertile soil, making the acidity and aroma of the coffee beans particularly distinctive, creating Tomoca Coffee's optimal flavor profile!

Tomoca Coffee's shop is quite small, preserving extensive storage space. They mainly sell "dark-roasted Arabica blends" and "medium-roasted single origin beans." Occasionally, you might find light-roasted beans. When I take guests shopping there, I primarily recommend the medium-roasted single origin beans because their flavor profile is more pure!

Brewing Methods for Ethiopian Coffee

Having happily purchased Ethiopia's best beans, how should you brew them at home for the most authentic taste?

Since I have a fairly complete set of coffee equipment at home, I've tried the following methods:

  1. Metal filter pour-over
  2. Flannel filter pour-over, ground with Little Pegasus grinder setting 3.5
  3. Moka pot (not recommended)
  4. French press (also not recommended)
  5. Pot-brewed coffee, ground with Little Pegasus grinder setting 2.5

I've personally tested all these methods, and I prefer the fifth one—pot-brewed coffee for tasting. Perhaps this method comes closest to Ethiopia's "coffee ceremony"!

The Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony

The coffee ceremony is always conducted by the female head of household. She places cups on a low table, first roasting green beans over charcoal fire and letting guests enjoy the aroma. Next comes water boiling and bean grinding (the truly traditional method uses charcoal fire, just like the lady in my photo). However, because the heat is very low, water boiling takes quite a long time. During this waiting period, the hostess burns herbs she has prepared herself as incense, helping everyone relax while they wait.

Once the water boils, she pours the ground coffee into the pot and simmers it briefly before beginning to serve the coffee to guests. The first cup is always the strongest. You drink one cup after another—typically three cups in total. The third cup represents the host's highest blessing to the guests, and you must finish it to show proper respect!

Why Pot-Brewing Works Best

Because pot-brewed coffee most closely resembles the coffee ceremony's brewing method, I believe it tastes most similar to what locals brew. Moreover, its flavor is purer than any other brewing method. According to Tomoca Coffee's packaging recommendations: "10 grams of coffee to 180ml of water. When brewing, don't use freshly boiled water—use slightly cooler water to preserve the coffee's flavor."

Final Thoughts

Although Tomoca Coffee is the best coffee bean we can bring back from Ethiopia to Taiwan, when actually brewed, it still cannot compete with any traditional coffee shop on Ethiopia's streets.

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but diverse bean varieties, where you can find various famous and lesser-known beans. They also provide online store 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

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