Ethiopia Sidamo Coffee Bean Flavor Profile - Introduction to Sidamo Honey Process Coffee

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FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Yirgacheffe Red Honey Red Cherry

What is the "Red Cherry Project"?

The Red Cherry Project (ORC) is a quality enhancement project for small-scale farms. In 2007, Trabocca, the largest green bean importer in the Netherlands, launched the "Red Cherry Project" to pursue high-quality Ethiopian beans.

The project requirements include not only harvesting fully red coffee cherries but also using completely manual harvesting methods. However, these are just the basic requirements, as the project is much more complex. The main goal is to encourage coffee farmers and bring surprises to roasters. Before the harvest season, Trabocca invites all Ethiopian farms to produce small batches of about 1500-3000 kilograms (25-50 bags) of beans. Women are only allowed to select fully 100% ripe red cherries, which makes a significant difference in the brewed coffee flavor. Therefore, meticulous, sharp-eyed, and hardworking Ethiopian women are crucial promoters of the Red Cherry Project.

The Red Cherry Project is also a strengthening approach that encourages farms to invest more effort in the bean selection process. These coffees command relatively higher prices. The Red Cherry Project includes washed, natural, semi-washed, semi-natural, and experimental coffees. The main producing regions include Yirgacheffe, Sidamo, Bench Maji (Bonga Forest), Lekempti, Kembata, Guji, Harar, and Limu. In 2011, the Golocha production area (near Harar) was added. These coffees all feature unique flavors that fully showcase the characteristics of Ethiopian coffee. After receiving the coffee, Trabocca conducts further selection. Farms that pass the cupping quality tests in both Ethiopian and Dutch offices receive substantial bonuses. The promoters of the Red Cherry Project, Trabocca, reinvest all profits earned over the years into their partner farms.

Processing Method

This bean is processed using the red honey method.

The honey processing method refers to the process of making coffee beans by drying them in the sun while retaining the mucilage. After removing the outer pulp from the coffee beans, there remains a layer of sticky, gelatinous substance. Traditional washed processing uses water to wash it away, but due to water resource limitations in some high-altitude areas, this direct sun-drying method was developed.

The pectin mucilage is the part with the highest sugar content in the coffee fruit and is an important component of coffee processing fermentation. It can be said that this part determines 80% of the nutrient supply during the processing. Yellow honey retains 60% of the pectin, red honey retains 75% of the pectin, while black honey retains almost all of the pectin.

Flavor Profile

It has a ginger flower aroma in the nose, with citrus, lemon, and fruit candy notes upon entry. The mid-section features cedar wood aroma and honey sweetness, while the finish carries oolong tea notes with a persistent creamy aftertaste.

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