What's the Difference Between Natural and Washed Coffee Beans - Introduction to Flavor Characteristics of Pour-Over Coffee Guanyin

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FrontStreet Coffee: Differences Between Washed and Natural Sidamo Guji

The Sidamo region is located in southern Ethiopia, where agriculture dominates the economy. The coffee growing areas are situated around the East African Rift Valley. The largest city in Sidamo is Hawassa, which was once an important coffee export and distribution center. Sidamo coffee flavors are extremely diverse due to different soil compositions and climate characteristics, creating obvious differences and unique characteristics in the coffee produced by each town and region.

After harvesting, Sidamo coffee beans must immediately undergo processing, otherwise they will begin to ferment and develop off-flavors. There are two processing methods: "natural method" and "washed method," and these methods create different flavor profiles. Natural method beans have complete natural richness, gentle aroma, and more mucilage; while washed method beans have good richness, high aroma, and vibrant acidity.

FrontStreet Coffee Natural Sidamo Guji

The beans are relatively smaller, greenish-yellow in color. In Sidamo's natural drying fields, coffee is placed in burlap net wooden racks, and workers take turns manually stirring the coffee under sunlight exposure.

FrontStreet Coffee Washed Sidamo Guji

The raw coffee beans are greenish with a slight gray tint, with some areas coarse and others fine. It has both soft and bright acidity, appropriate richness, sweet and spicy aroma, clear fruit acidity, smooth mouthfeel, and delicate floral and grassy notes.

Hand Brew Parameter Recommendations:

FrontStreet Coffee Natural Sidamo Guji

Recommend using 15g of coffee grounds with 90°C water temperature, BG 6S grind size, V60 filter cup, water-to-coffee ratio of 1:15. First pour 30g of water, bloom for 30s, second pour to 120g water volume and stop, then pour to 225g water volume, discard the tail water, extraction time around 2:02s;

Flavor:

Fermented aroma, strawberry, jackfruit, passion fruit

FrontStreet Coffee Washed Sidamo Guji

Recommend using 15g of coffee grounds with 92°C water temperature, BG 6S grind size, V60 filter cup, water-to-coffee ratio of 1:14. First pour 30g of water, bloom for 30s, second pour to 125g water volume and stop, then pour to 220g water volume, discard the tail water, extraction time around 2:05s;

Flavor:

Lemon, jasmine, berries

Knowledge Extension:

Unroasted coffee beans are called "raw coffee beans." The normal colors of raw coffee beans are generally blue-green, emerald green, light green, or yellow-green, etc.

Important Notice :

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