Introduction to the Flavor Characteristics of Ethiopia Guji Hambela Buku Low-Temperature Slow-Dried Natural Coffee

FrontStreet Coffee · Ethiopia Guji Zone Hambela Buku

Region: Guji Hambela

Altitude: 2050 meters

Processing: Slow-dried Natural

Grade: G1

Variety: Local Landrace

GUJI Zone

The Guji Zone has become a region of significant attention in recent years, demonstrating excellent performance in both flavor expression and quality. The Guji Zone was formerly part of the Sidamo region but was established as an independent new region by the Ethiopia Commodity Exchange (ECX) in 2010.

Located southeast of Yirgacheffe, the Guji Zone borders Sidamo and the Gedeo Zone, featuring complex topographical variations including towering mountains, highlands, plateaus, valleys, and plains.

The region's geology consists of fertile black soil (Vertisol) with soil depth reaching nearly two meters, and an average altitude above 1,800 meters. The geographical characteristics create significant day-night temperature differences, providing ideal local conditions for producing high-quality specialty coffee.

The region's greatest advantage lies in maintaining soil vitality through natural organic matter recycling, using fallen leaves and debris from surrounding forests, plant roots, and other materials as natural fertilizers.

Hambela is administered by Ethiopia's southernmost administrative state: Oromiyaa Region. It faces the Yirgacheffe region's Kochere from across mountains at 3,200m to the west, borders Shakiso to the east, connects to Uraga to the south, and adjoins Kercha to the north.

Currently, there are about 20 processing stations in Hambela, distributed across different villages and estates in various sub-regions, varying in scale.

Buku Abel

In the local Ethiopian language, Buku Abel means "NEW" - a new place. In this ancient country with over two thousand years of history and a population of one hundred million, blocked from Asia by the Great Rift Valley, new virgin lands await development on this plateau. Compared to millennia of culture, this is a relatively newly developed territory.

Buku Abel is located in southeastern Ethiopia, a high-altitude primitive tribal area in the Hambela region of the Guji Zone, with a population of about 30,000 people. This small village, like most Ethiopian coffee gardens, grows in wild primary forests. Coffee farmers have passed down their traditions through generations here, cultivating native bananas and interspersing local native coffee tree varieties among the banana groves.

Processing Method

Only fully ripe bright red cherries are selected and harvested. Single-layer stacking of coffee cherries provides perfect convection and drying conditions for these cherries, although this requires more space and can be disadvantageous for coffee production volume.

Proper slow drying allows coffee cherries to develop optimal water activity during the drying process. This not only results in excellent flavor development but also enables green beans to maintain longer during seasonal storage cycles. However, this method extends the time required for each batch's production. Adopting such drying techniques not only depends on favorable weather conditions but also requires producers' willingness to invest.

Green Bean Analysis

FrontStreet Coffee's Ethiopian Hambela green beans appear yellow-green and emit a faint fermented fruit aroma with fresh citrus acidity. Careful observation of the coffee beans reveals that FrontStreet Coffee's Hambela coffee beans vary in size, which relates to the bean varieties.

The variety of this [FrontStreet Coffee Ethiopian Hambela Buku] is local landrace. Due to the vast number of Ethiopian varieties, which serve as a natural gene bank for Arabica, there are two challenges: the numerous varieties make identification and classification difficult, and the Ethiopian government,出于 protection considerations, is unwilling to disclose information about these varieties. Therefore, they are collectively referred to as [Heirloom Landrace].

Roasting Analysis

Preheat the roaster to 200°C, damper setting at 3. After 30 seconds, increase heat to 160. Return temperature at 1'36". When the drum temperature reaches 140°C, adjust damper to 4 and heat to 140. At this point, the bean surface turns yellow and grassy aroma completely disappears, entering the dehydration phase. When the drum temperature reaches 166°C, adjust heat to 100°C, keeping damper unchanged.

At 7'57", ugly wrinkles and black spots appear on the bean surface, with the distinct toast aroma clearly transitioning to coffee aroma - this can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this moment, listen carefully for the sound of first crack. First crack begins at 8'45", damper adjusted to 5. After first crack, develop for 1'40" and drop at 197°C.

Agrton bean color value is 71.8 (above image), Agrton color value is 85.7 (below image), and Roast Delta value is 13.9.

Cupping Notes

FrontStreet Coffee's Hambela Buku exhibits pear flower and fermented aromas. During slurping, one can perceive flavors of pear, strawberry, orange, citrus, and peach, along with creamy and honey-like sweetness.

Brewing Recommendations

Recommended brewing method: Pour-over

Filter: V60 dripper

Grind size: Fine sugar consistency (80% pass-through rate on Chinese standard #20 sieve)

Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15

Water temperature: 91°C

Brewing technique: Multi-stage extraction

Use 29g of water for 30-second bloom, then pour with small, relatively fast flow to 128g for the first stage. When the water level drops to just before exposing the coffee bed, continue pouring with slightly larger flow to 226g and stop. When about to expose the coffee bed, remove the filter cup. Total extraction time should be around 2'10".

[FrontStreet Coffee Ethiopia Hambela Buku] coffee flavor: The aroma presents subtle fermented fruit notes, floral hints, and rose fragrance. The entry reveals sweet-tart notes of orange, strawberry, and cream, with honey peach flavors emerging in the mid-palate. The aftertaste features sucrose and honey sweetness with jackfruit undertones, creating an overall sensation reminiscent of tropical fruit tea.

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