Yirgacheffe Coffee Bean Characteristics & Flavor - Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Red Cherry Coffee

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Yirgacheffe is a coffee region that is likely familiar to many, with its bright acidity and clean, refreshing coffee flavors that have made it the first choice for many people entering the world of specialty pour-over coffee. FrontStreet Coffee is here today to introduce the flavor characteristics of Yirgacheffe coffee beans.

Yirgacheffe Processing Methods

In many people's memories, Yirgacheffe has always been a region primarily focused on washed processing. FrontStreet Coffee believes that Yirgacheffe coffee region favors washed processing because it can highlight the floral aromas and lemon acidity of Yirgacheffe coffee, bringing everyone a fresh and clean feeling. In fact, Yirgacheffe originally used natural processing methods. It wasn't until 1972 when the Ethiopian government introduced washed processing from Central and South America to improve coffee quality that Yirgacheffe coffee became even fresher and more refined, winning more people's favor.

Yirgacheffe Coffee Region

Yirgacheffe is located on the eastern edge of the East African Rift Valley, with complex terrain and an elevation of 1800-2000m, making it one of the highest average elevation coffee regions in Ethiopia. To the west lies Lake Abaya, which has historically been a wetland with abundant water sources, providing excellent resources for Yirgacheffe washing stations.

Yirgacheffe is a sub-region of Sidamo, but due to its unique flavor characteristics, it has been separated as its own distinct region and has become one of the most renowned regions in Africa.

Under Ethiopia's regional classification system, Yirgacheffe is one of four sub-regions (namely Yirgacheffe, Wenago, Gelena Abaya, and Kochere). Administratively, the Kochere region covers two areas: Kochere itself and Gedeb. Kochere and Gedeb form the two pillars at the southern end of the greater Yirgacheffe region, one to the west and one to the east. However, Gedeb was historically an independent region separated from Kochere, so it's not surprising that they are classified together. Sometimes, we refer to Gedeb as an independent micro-region. Notably, Worka Kebele within Gedeb Woreda has frequently gained prominence and is gradually being referred to independently.

FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe Selections

FrontStreet Coffee Yirgacheffe Gedeb Cooperative

• Region: Ethiopia, Yirgacheffe Region
• Producer: Gedeb Cooperative
• Variety: Local Landrace
• Processing: Washed

FrontStreet Coffee Yirgacheffe Natural Red Cherry

• Region: Ethiopia, Yirgacheffe Region
• Estate: Aletaland Estate
• Variety: Local Landrace
• Processing: Natural

Washed Processing Method

The washed method can remove impurities (such as stones or debris) and defective beans through each step, resulting in uniform appearance of green beans, which are generally considered high quality and command higher prices than coffee beans processed by natural drying methods. However, the more detailed the division of labor, the more procedures are required for operation and hygiene management, and the higher the risk. Therefore, washed processing does not necessarily equate to high quality. FrontStreet Coffee believes that washed processed coffee has more pronounced acidity, better cleanliness, medium body, and the most consistent green bean quality.

After screening, coffee cherries are placed in a depulper to initially remove the skin and pulp; coffee beans with remaining pulp and mucilage are placed in water for fermentation for about 24 hours; after fermentation, coffee beans with parchment are placed in flowing water channels to wash away pulp and mucilage; after washing, coffee beans are dried in the sun or using dryers to reduce moisture content to around 12%. Finally, the parchment is removed from the coffee beans.

Natural Processing Method

Natural processing is one of the oldest and most traditional processing methods. Coffee cherries are dried in the sun immediately after harvesting, which is common in areas with abundant sunlight or scarce water resources. For example, nearly 70% of coffee cherries in all Ethiopian regions are processed using natural methods. FrontStreet Coffee believes that compared to washed processed coffee, natural processed coffee has lower acidity, higher sweetness, distinct texture, but slightly lower cleanliness. In terms of flavor, it produces more berry-like notes and is more complex.

Yirgacheffe natural processed coffee is made by selecting usable coffee cherries and keeping the entire pulp and skin intact. The coffee cherries are then placed on raised beds for natural drying. It is precisely this labor-intensive raised bed drying method that isolates the cherries from ground contact, preventing earthy off-flavors during the drying process and creating exceptionally clean fruit flavors. After more than two weeks of natural drying, the dark brown coffee cherries are professionally stored to allow for flavor maturation. Only before shipment are the coffee beans removed from the dried cherries, resulting in remarkable sweetness.

FrontStreet Coffee's Comparison

Next, starting with Yirgacheffe washed and natural processed green beans, we go through a series of comparisons including roasting, cupping, and brewing to see the differences between FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe washed Gedeb and natural Red Cherry.

FrontStreet Coffee Green Bean Comparison

Natural processed beans in their green state appear yellow-green with more silver skin; while washed beans are blue-green with less silver skin. This is because washed beans are soaked in water for extended periods during processing, causing the silver skin to separate from the coffee beans. When the parchment is finally removed, the outer silver skin is peeled off along with it, leaving very little residual silver skin on the surface of washed green beans.

Natural processed beans are the opposite - pulp and skin remain attached to the outside of the beans, and the silver skin adheres more tightly to the coffee beans, making it difficult to remove when the parchment is peeled off. Therefore, natural processed green beans still have much outer silver skin attached.

FrontStreet Coffee Roasted Bean Comparison

Although washed beans have less silver skin and natural beans have more when green, during the roasting process, the silver skin at the center line of washed coffee beans is the most difficult to remove. The outer silver skin of natural beans is connected in large pieces, making it easier to detach along with the silver skin at the center line, so after roasting, natural roasted beans have very clean removal of silver skin.

Washed beans are the opposite - because there's almost no outer silver skin connection, the silver skin in the center line crack cannot be easily removed and instead remains after roasting. This is why, from the perspective of roasted beans, washed beans appear to have more silver skin while natural beans have less.

FrontStreet Coffee Roasting Recommendations

Natural Red Cherry using Yangjia 800N, with 600g batch size: Preheat roaster to 200°C, charge beans with air damper at 3.5. After 1 minute, reduce heat to 160°C, damper unchanged. At 148°C, reduce heat to 130°C. At 5'03", temperature reaches 151°C, beans turn yellow, grassy aroma completely disappears, dehydration complete. Adjust heat to 105°C, open damper to 4. At 8 minutes, beans show ugly wrinkles and black spots, toast aroma明显 transitions to coffee aroma - this can be defined as the prelude to first crack. Listen carefully for the sound of first crack. At 9'07", first crack begins, reduce heat to 70°C, fully open damper (adjust heat very carefully, not so low that cracking stops). Discharge at 194°C.

Washed Gedeb using Yangjia 800N, with 480g batch size: Preheat roaster to 175°C, charge beans with air damper at 3, heat at 120. Return temperature at 1'32", when roaster reaches 140°C, keep heat unchanged, open damper to 4. At this point, beans turn yellow, grassy aroma completely disappears, entering dehydration stage. At 166°C, reduce heat to 100; at 176°C, reduce heat to 80, damper remains unchanged. At 8'28", beans show ugly wrinkles and black spots, toast aroma明显 transitions to coffee aroma - this can be defined as the prelude to first crack. Listen carefully for the sound of first crack. At 9'38", first crack begins, adjust damper to 5 (adjust heat very carefully, not so low that cracking stops). Develop for 1'30" after first crack, discharge at 193.5°C.

FrontStreet Coffee Cupping Report

Natural Red Cherry's dry aroma exudes intense fruit fragrances with rich dried fruit notes of strawberry, mango, and apricot jam. The wet aroma is like sweet syrup, resembling thick apricot juice wrapped in rustic honey or chocolate. The entry is not intense, with medium body, similar to fruit tea.

Washed Gedeb's dry aroma exudes fresh passion fruit, citrus, and berry acidity. The wet aroma is citrus and berries. Upon entry, there's citrus acidity and berry sweetness, with almond, tea-like qualities, and a honey-sweet aftertaste. The body is low, acidity is bright, clean, and refreshing.

FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Recommendations

• Dripper: V60 #01
• Water Temperature: 90-91°C
• Coffee Dose: 15g
• Coffee-to-Water Ratio: 1:15
• Grind Size: BG6m / Fine sugar size (80% pass-through through #20 sieve)

Frontsteet Brewing Method: First pour 30g of water for 30-second bloom, then pour 95g more (electronic scale shows around 125g), completing in about 1 minute. When the water level drops to 2/3 of the coffee bed, pour the remaining 100g (electronic scale shows around 225g), completing in about 1 minute 35 seconds. Complete extraction between 2'00-2'10", remove the dripper.

Washed Gedeb Brewing Flavor: Entry shows citrus, black tea, with cream and caramel notes as temperature changes, almond aftertaste with obvious sweetness and clean, sweet mouthfeel.

Natural Red Cherry Brewing Flavor: Lemon, licorice, citrus, berries, sweet orange, with overall higher sweetness, caramel and cream flavors in the aftertaste, and black tea aroma in the finish.

Important Notice :

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FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473