African Coffee Beans - Differences Between Yirgacheffe Red Cherry and Limu Varieties and Their Distinct Flavor Profiles

FrontStreet Coffee · Ethiopia Red Cherry G1

Ethiopia's main coffee-producing regions include Yirgacheffe, Sidamo, Bench Maji (Bonga Forest), Lekempti, Kembata, Illubabor, Harar, and Limu. Yirgacheffe is a small town in Ethiopia and one of the world's highest-altitude coffee-growing regions, situated at 1,700-2,100 meters above sea level. It is perpetually shrouded in mist, enjoys spring-like weather year-round, and is blessed with gentle breezes that create a cool, humid environment.

During harvest season, Ethiopian coffee trading companies come to town to purchase coffee beans collected by farmers, eventually auctioning and exporting them under the "Yirgacheffe" brand. In pursuit of high-quality fruit, the "Red Cherry Project" was implemented, involving 100% manual harvesting of fully red cherries. This allows coffee farmers to devote more attention to the screening and bean selection process, resulting in relatively higher prices for these coffees.

The refined natural processing method is employed, where after selecting usable coffee cherries, they are placed on elevated drying racks for sun-drying. This approach isolates them from ground contact, preventing earthy off-flavors and creating exceptionally clean fruit profiles. After more than two weeks of sun-drying, the dark brown coffee cherries are professionally stored to await full flavor maturation, which enhances sweetness.

The Yirgacheffe variety consists of local heirloom cultivars, characterized by small, round beans. The beans are quite small, mostly between 14-15 screen size. The Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Red Cherry G1 green beans that FrontStreet Coffee sources exhibit a yellowish-green color—typical of natural-processed coffees—with uniform, full-bodied beans and few defects.

FrontStreet Coffee's Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Red Cherry G1 features intense fruit aromatics with rich dried fruit notes of plum, strawberry, and lemon. The mid-palate offers honey-like sweetness, while the finish reveals chocolate notes. The entry is not overpowering, with medium body and subtle acidity, reminiscent of fruit tea.

FrontStreet Coffee · Ethiopia Limu

Coffee production from the Limu region is relatively low, primarily exported to European and American markets. It was previously difficult to purchase domestically in China but has been very popular in Europe and America, with its reputation second only to Yirgacheffe. The coffee varieties cultivated are Ethiopian local heirloom cultivars, with local smallholder farmers using 100% organic cultivation methods. The soil is vertisol type, and coffee is grown at altitudes between 1,850-1,900 meters.

The Limu region mainly produces washed processed coffees. In terms of flavor profile, it is somewhat milder than coffees from Sidamo. It has a lighter body and often features citrus characteristics. While its floral and citrus notes are less pronounced than those of Yirgacheffe and Sidamo, it possesses additional grassy and cocoa aromas, along with sandalwood notes. Although not as famous as coffees from Sidamo or Yirgacheffe regions, Limu also produces many distinctive flavor-profile coffee beans.

The washed processing method is used, utilizing washing and fermentation to remove pulp, mucilage, and parchment. This involves introducing a continuous flow of fresh water. During processing, the fermented beans are placed in pools and moved back and forth, using the friction between beans and the power of flowing water to wash the coffee beans until they are smooth and clean. After washing, the coffee beans remain in parchment with a moisture content of 50%. They must be dried to reduce moisture content to 12%; otherwise, they would continue to ferment and become moldy and spoiled. Following this, sun-drying takes place, which takes 1-3 weeks but yields exceptionally flavorful results that are highly appreciated.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473