How is Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Coffee? Introduction to the Proper Way to Brew Yirgacheffe

FrontStreet Coffee - Yirgacheffe Characteristics and Tasting Guide

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When it comes to coffee, we must mention its birthplace - Ethiopia. Ethiopia has always enjoyed a high reputation in the specialty coffee industry, and its coffee beans are regular fixtures on coffee shop lists worldwide.

Ethiopian coffee regions vary greatly, with coffee flavors differing significantly between different regions, micro-regions, and even farms, but most are high-quality Arabica beans loved by everyone. Today, FrontStreet Coffee's editor will reveal the secrets of Ethiopian coffee's popularity, taking you into this beautiful and mysterious coffee kingdom. Ethiopia's geographical environment is highly suitable for coffee cultivation. Coffee is mainly grown in the southern highlands at altitudes between 1,100 and 2,300 meters. Major coffee-producing areas include Harar, Limu, Djimma, Sidamo, Kaffa, Yergacheffe, and Wellega. The soil in these regions is well-drained, slightly acidic, and red and loose. Ethiopian coffee is harvested once a year. Beautiful white coffee flowers bloom on the branches between March and April, after which the fruit begins to grow. Red coffee cherries mature for picking from September to December. The new season's coffee begins to be exported from November to December.

Natural processed coffee has rounder, richer fruit flavors... Compared to washed coffee, good natural processed coffee not only maintains fresh lemon acidity and floral notes but also adds sweetness and body. We are seeing more and more honey-processed coffees from Ethiopia, as producers can directly sell to the market with tremendous results.

Workers at the Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers' Cooperative Union processing plant are sorting green coffee beans.

Yirgacheffe coffee is one of the most distinctive coffees in the world, an outstanding representative of African washed coffee, and has always enjoyed a prestigious reputation among global coffee connoisseurs. As a washed, high-quality Arabica coffee, it's suitable for various degrees of roasting, perfectly presenting fresh and bright floral and fruit aromas, with beautiful and complete bean appearance.

The popularity of Yirgacheffe is largely influenced by the specialty coffee trend. Its citrus flavor, coupled with jasmine fragrance, has a unique taste similar to wine's acidity, establishing a rebellious flavor profile. Traditional Italian dark roasting basically loses the coffee's acidity, not to mention citrus and fruit flavors, while Yirgacheffe has become the representative of floral and fruity coffee.

Taste

Taste refers to what the tongue detects. Coffee flavors fall into four categories: sour, sweet, bitter, and salty (some believe there's also a fifth taste description of umami). When you sip coffee, your perception of taste may vary with each sip - sometimes sour, sometimes bitter. This is because the small amount of coffee cannot cover the entire tongue (different areas of the tongue have different sensitivities to each taste).

Body

Simply put, body is the tactile sensation of coffee liquid passing over the tongue, what we call body or mouthfeel. The explanation of body in "The Coffee Equation" book is quite accurate:

Flavor

When we taste coffee, we shouldn't just say it's delicious; we need to articulate where the deliciousness lies. Words like "lemon-like acidity" and "milk candy-like fragrance" can well describe the deliciousness of coffee.

Knowledge Extension: Flavor is the most difficult aspect among the three. The aroma emitted by coffee, the aroma fed back through the nasal cavity after swallowing coffee, give people different perceptions. No one can verbally teach you how to identify flavors. All teaching models are the same: smell, calibrate, remember, and repeat.

In short: FrontStreet Coffee is a research-focused coffee establishment that loves to share coffee knowledge with everyone. Our unconditional sharing is aimed at helping more friends fall in love with coffee. Additionally, we hold three discounted coffee events every month because FrontStreet Coffee wants to let more friends enjoy the best coffee at the lowest prices - this has been our mission for six years!

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