Natural vs Washed Coffee Beans: Ethiopia's Natural Red Cherry with Rich Tropical Fruit Aromas

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Introducing FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe Natural Red Cherry

The Natural Process

Harvested coffee cherries are spread out under direct sunlight for two weeks. Once the fruit skin has dried to a certain degree, the skin and pulp are removed, leaving some pulp still clinging to the green bean. Roasted and ready to drink, the flavor shows rich fruit aromas and sweetness, and the coffee's viscosity is well balanced.

The Washed Process

After harvest, the fruit skin is removed first, and the cherries with their remaining pulp are soaked in water to ferment. After 12-72 hours they are washed with clean water and then air-dried for 4-10 days before the parchment is removed. Roasted and ready to drink, the flavor presents strong acidity, distinct floral notes, and a clean, mud-free taste.

Yirgacheffe belongs to the Sidamo region but was separated out because of its unique flavor profile. Besides the town of Yirgacheffe itself, it includes three surrounding sub-regions: Wenago, Kochere, and Gelena/Abaya. Under the newer Yirgacheffe grading system, Yirgacheffe A, Wenago A, Kochere A, and Gelena/Abaya A command higher prices than their B-grade counterparts.

Yirgacheffe is a small town in Ethiopia at an elevation of 1,700-2,100 meters, making it one of the highest-altitude coffee-growing regions in the world and a synonym for Ethiopian specialty coffee. Lakes Turkana, Abaya, and Chamo supply abundant water vapor here, nurturing FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe with its unique interplay of floral and fruity aromas — an ever-changing, distinctive regional character.

Originally, FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe coffee trees were cultivated by European monks and later managed by farmers or cooperatives. The trees grow scattered naturally through forests, fields, and backyards. During harvest, Ethiopian coffee trading companies come to town to buy the beans collected by farmers, which are ultimately auctioned and exported under the "Yirgacheffe" name.

FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe Red Cherry Project

• Variety: Heirloom
• Altitude: 1,850-2,100 meters
• Processing Method: Natural Process
• Roast Level: Light Roast
• Flavor Notes: Citrus, Apricot, Blueberry, Pineapple, Jasmine Floral Notes, Brown Sugar Sweetness, Honey

Brewing Recommendations:

• Water Temperature: 90-94°C
• Grind Size: Medium Grind
• Recommended Extraction Ratio: Between 1:15 and 1:18 (adjust the concentration to personal taste)

Knowledge Point: Honey processing, also known as semi-washed processing, uses a depulper to remove the skin and part of the pulp. The proportion of pulp retained determines the classification into black, red, yellow, or white honey.

In Brief: FrontStreet Coffee is a specialty coffee research center dedicated to sharing coffee knowledge with enthusiasts. We share without reservation to help more friends fall in love with coffee. We also hold three heavily discounted coffee events monthly, because FrontStreet Coffee wants to offer the best coffee at the lowest prices to more friends — our mission for six years.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

To taste the natural process described above, FrontStreet Coffee's sun-dried Red Cherry is made only from fully ripe, sound cherries. They are screened at the processing station and dried directly on raised beds for three to five weeks, turned every two to three hours in the early days to prevent uneven heating and over-fermentation. Because the fruit dries with the pulp still attached, the coffee keeps the classic Yirgacheffe profile while adding tropical fruit — citrus acidity, a berry-juice body, honey sweetness, and a creamy smoothness.

For the washed side of the same story, FrontStreet Coffee's washed Yirgacheffe is the classic introduction to the region, known for white jasmine, bright citrus and lemon acidity, and a clean tea-like character. Its approachable price has made it the first specialty coffee for many new drinkers.

If you want to explore the surrounding villages, FrontStreet Coffee's Gutingding cooperative lot comes from the Worka area at the southeastern edge of Yirgacheffe. Originally part of the Worka cooperative under the YCFCU, it has since been recognized as a single-origin lot, and its traditional washed processing gives it fresh, clean citrus and lemon acidity with jasmine fragrance and none of the traditional bitterness.