Sidamo Coffee: Differences Between Washed and Natural Processing Methods

FrontStreet Coffee Introduces the Flavor Characteristics of Sidamo Coffee

Sidamo coffee is grown mainly around the Great Rift Valley in East Africa, with an annual production of about 225,000 bags of 60kg each.

Sidamo coffee beans are medium-sized and oval, and are typically processed using both washed and natural methods. Washed Sidamo green beans appear light green and taste of distinct citrus with subtle berry aromas, along with pleasant, elegant sweet-and-sour notes, grape-like sweetness, and a chocolate aftertaste. Natural processed Sidamo beans tend to be yellowish-green with a less uniform appearance, commonly showing chipped beans.

On Sidamo's natural drying beds, the coffee is spread on wooden racks fitted with mesh netting, where workers take turns stirring it by hand under the sun to ensure the beans are heated evenly. Sidamo delivers balanced flavor profiles with higher sweetness, and its body is somewhat fuller than Yirgacheffe's. In particular, the red-wine-like acidity and sweetness produced during natural pulp fermentation, combined with coffee's original cocoa bitterness, give certain batches of Sidamo an intoxicating flavor reminiscent of chocolate liqueur.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

For anyone exploring Ethiopia's classic profiles, FrontStreet suggests starting with the FrontStreet Washed Yirgacheffe, known for white jasmine florals, bright citrus and lemon acidity, and a tea-like body; its friendly price makes it the first bean many people try in specialty coffee. For a clearer look at a single cooperative, the FrontStreet Washed Gedeb Cooperative is located in the Worka area at the southeastern edge of Yirgacheffe and follows the most traditional washed processing, giving clean, bright citrus and lemon acidity with jasmine fragrance and none of the traditional bitterness. If you prefer the fruit-forward side of the region, the FrontStreet Sun-Dried Red Cherry is picked from fully ripe red cherries and dried whole on raised beds for three to five weeks, turning every two to three hours in the first days; the result keeps the classic Yirgacheffe character while adding tropical fruit from the natural process, with citrus acidity, a berry-juice sensation, honeyed sweetness, and a creamy smoothness. For brewing, FrontStreet suggests a V60 at 90-91°C, 15g of coffee, a 1:15 ratio, and a grind of EK43s setting 10, about fine-sugar size and 80% passing a #20 sieve.