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FrontStreet Coffee - Washed Yirgacheffe Introduction

Like Indonesian Mandheling and Guatemala Antigua, Yirgacheffe—hailing from Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee—has earned a devoted following among enthusiasts. Washed Yirgacheffe in particular, with its explosive aroma, rich citrus and floral notes, and light, elegant mouthfeel, is regarded as an essential specialty coffee the world over. Even if you don't drink coffee, chances are the beautiful name "Yirgacheffe" still rings a bell.

Yirgacheffe is practically synonymous with fruity and floral coffee. Its clean, bright profile and lively fruit acidity are unforgettable. As a storied origin with no shortage of legend attached to it, Yirgacheffe has been one of the hottest single origins in the specialty market for the past decade—mention specialty coffee, and it comes up almost immediately.

Yirgacheffe is Ethiopia's highest-altitude coffee-producing region, and it doubles as a local transportation hub and coffee trading center. Its processing equipment and expertise are among the most advanced in the country, which is a major reason the coffee quality is so consistently high.

What Is Washed Processing?

The washed method is one of the principal ways of processing coffee after harvest.

Harvested cherries must move into processing immediately; left sitting, they begin to ferment and the beans pick up off-flavors. There are two main routes—"natural (dry) processing" and "washed processing"—and each produces a distinctly different flavor profile.

The Full Washed Method

This method uses washing and fermentation to strip away the fruit pulp and mucilage. Farms that wash their coffee must build washing tanks and secure a continuous supply of fresh water—one reason washed coffees cost more to produce. During processing, the fermented beans are agitated in the tanks, with friction between the beans and the flow of water doing the cleaning work until they come out smooth and clean.

After washing, the beans are still sealed inside their parchment at roughly 50% moisture. They must be dried down to 12%; otherwise they will keep fermenting, grow mold, and spoil. Sun-drying is the preferred method: it takes 1-3 weeks but yields exceptional flavor, which is why it remains the favored approach.

A Knowledge Point

Arabica coffee is generally believed to have originated in the Ethiopian highlands and is now widely distributed across the tropics. Through repeated mutation and selective breeding, it has given rise to countless varieties.

In Brief

FrontStreet Coffee is a coffee research center dedicated to sharing coffee knowledge freely and without reservation, because we want more friends to fall in love with coffee. Every month we hold three coffee events with significant discounts, because FrontStreet Coffee wants to offer the best coffee at the lowest prices. That has been our mission for the past six years!

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

FrontStreet Coffee's Washed Yirgacheffe everyday bean is the classic starting point for anyone exploring Ethiopia: known for white jasmine florals, bright citrus and lemon acidity, and a distinct tea-like finish—all at a friendly price, which has made it many people's first specialty coffee bean. Yirgacheffe itself is a small town in the Sidamo region of southern Ethiopia at roughly 1700-2100 meters, with coffee trees planted above 1800 meters, making it one of the highest coffee regions in the world. Its reputation grew so large that in 2010 the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange formally separated it from Sidamo as its own designation.

For a deeper cut, try FrontStreet Coffee's Washed Guodingding (Worka) Cooperative lot from the Worka area at the southeastern edge of Yirgacheffe. Once part of the Worka cooperative under the YCFCU union, it was later singled out by coffee buyers seeking traceability. Processed in the most traditional washed style, it carries no heavy bitterness at all—just fresh, bright citrus and lemon acidity wrapped in jasmine fragrance.

Brewing suggestion from FrontStreet Coffee: use a V60 with 90-91°C water, 15g of coffee at a 1:15 ratio, ground to fine-granulated-sugar size. Bloom with 30g of water for 30 seconds, pour to 125g in about a minute, then finish with the remaining 100g (to about 225g on the scale) by 1:35. Drainage should complete around 2:00-2:10—then lift the dripper off and enjoy.