Nav: Home > Coffee >

What are the Characteristics of Ethiopian Yirga Coffee? Washed Yirgacheffe Offers a Clean, Pure, and Impurity-Free Taste

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Professional coffee knowledge exchange. For more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style). FrontStreet Coffee - Washed Yirgacheffe Introduction: Yirgacheffe is a small town in Ethiopia with an altitude of 1700-2100m. Due to its coffee containing delicate floral and fruity aromas, it has resolutely become synonymous with Ethiopian specialty coffee. This area has historically been a wet

Professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account cafe_style)

FrontStreet Coffee - Washed Yirgacheffe Introduction

Yirgacheffe is a small population town in Ethiopia with an altitude of 1700-2100m. It has resolutely become synonymous with Ethiopian specialty coffee due to its delicate floral and fruity flavors in coffee. This area has been wetland since ancient times. The ancient word "yirga" means "settle down," and "cheffe" means "wetland." Therefore, Yirgacheffe has the special meaning of "let us settle down and make a living in this wetland."

Yirgacheffe is a sub-production area in Ethiopia's Sidamo province, located in the northwest of Sidamo. Surrounded by mountains and water, it is one of the highest altitude coffee-producing regions in Ethiopia. However, the coffee flavor produced here is too outstanding, making it a heavenly bean. This has caused Ethiopian coffee farmers to compete proudly in having their coffee display Yirgacheffe flavor characteristics. Therefore, it separated from the Sidamo production area to become its own style and has also become Africa's most renowned specialty coffee region.

Yirgacheffe is divided into two major categories based on different coffee bean processing methods:

Category A uses the washed processing method, with grade standards set by the "American Specialty Coffee Association" (SCAA), divided into Gr-1 and Gr-2. The smaller the Arabic numeral, the higher the grade. G1 Yirgacheffe has a distinctive style, and the flavor of citrus and floral notes blended into the coffee liquid is a delicious taste that everyone cannot resist.

Category B uses the natural processing method for coffee beans, with grades divided into Gr-1, Gr-3, Gr-4, and Gr-5. Similarly, the highest grade G1 natural Yirgacheffe has rich fruity aroma. Opening a bag of freshly roasted G1 natural Yirgacheffe coffee can subvert everyone's original understanding of coffee. Only those who have tasted the highest grade natural Yirgacheffe will believe that coffee is a fruit.

Taste Differences:

Natural Yirgacheffe: The flavor has more layers, rich fermented wine aroma, and the bitter taste will be heavier. Honey sweetness is high, with cocoa notes carrying some spice, body is relatively thick, and aftertaste is lasting.

Washed Yirgacheffe: The acidity will be brighter, similar to citric acid, with high taste purity. Fruity aroma is more obvious, with a black tea-like finish in the aftertaste. Sweetness is not as high as the natural processed version.

Knowledge Point:

Arabica coffee beans are generally considered to originate from the Ethiopian highlands and are widely distributed in tropical regions. After repeated mutations and breeding, they have derived into numerous varieties.

In short: FrontStreet Coffee is a coffee research center, happy to share coffee knowledge with everyone. We share without reservation only to let more friends fall in love with coffee. Every month, there are three low-discount coffee activities because FrontStreet Coffee wants to let more friends drink the best coffee at the lowest price. This has also been FrontStreet Coffee's mission for the past 6 years!