Which Coffee Region Does Yirgacheffe Belong To and What Grade is Its Premium Coffee?

FrontStreet Coffee Yirgacheffe Coffee Introduction

Ethiopia is undoubtedly the homeland of coffee.

It is said that coffee originally came from the Kaffa province highlands of southwestern Ethiopia, and the origin of the name "coffee" is linked to this place as well. Ethiopia's native coffee varieties and their quantity are also the highest in the world, with more than 3500 recorded varieties, all of them delicious, high-quality bean types.

This has to do with the country's topography. Though Ethiopia lies in the tropics, its terrain is dominated by mountainous plateaus, and temperatures shift with the land, alternating hot and cold. In high-altitude areas the climate is cool and water is abundant, which suits the growth of high-quality coffee beans especially well. The famous Yirgacheffe coffee-growing area is located here. Yirgacheffe is one of the highest-altitude coffee-producing regions in the world, and Lake Turkana, Lake Abaya and Lake Chamo bring rich moisture to the area. At the same time, the rift valley terrain keeps the region shrouded in mist all year round - cool and humid, with spring-like seasons throughout the year - so Yirgacheffe beans display spring-like floral and fruity aromas.

Yirgacheffe coffee is known as "fruit coffee." Its flavor is layered, with a smooth entry and a charming aroma. One sip is like sweet fruit pulp, accompanied by a hint of honey, with lively, bright acidity. The aroma carries jasmine, ginger flower and other floral notes along with rich, intense fruit aromas such as blueberry, strawberry and cantaloupe. There is a phrase used specifically to describe Yirgacheffe - when the coffee enters the mouth, a hundred flowers bloom.

On this magical land of Ethiopia, many unknown coffee varieties are still waiting to be discovered. Those wild coffee fruits will surely hold amazing flavors. We only need to wait; the most original coffee homeland will surely bring us more surprises.

Ethiopia Coffee Grading System

Before ECX appeared, washed coffee was divided for export into G1 and G2, while natural coffee was graded G3, G4 and G5, meaning the highest grade for natural coffee was G3.

After ECX appeared, the grading was redefined. The grade names for washed coffee did not change, but for the first time G1 appeared in the definition for natural coffee. That is why the market now sees Ethiopian natural coffees as G1 and G2, while G3 is gradually becoming less common.

Ethiopian coffee beans are divided into five grades. Grade 1 and Grade 2 are reserved for washed beans. For washed beans, Grade 1 represents 0-3 defective beans per 300g of raw beans, and Grade 2 represents 4-12 defective beans per 300g of raw beans. Natural coffee bean qualities are Grade 3, Grade 4 and Grade 5 respectively.

Coffee Knowledge Point

The Arabica species was most likely first discovered in southern Sudan, but it was not until it spread to Ethiopia that it gradually flourished.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

To taste the floral, citrus-driven character that makes Yirgacheffe so distinctive, start with FrontStreet Washed Yirgacheffe, our everyday house pour-over. It is known for white jasmine, bright citrus and lemon acidity and a clean, tea-like body, and its friendly price has made it the first specialty coffee for many drinkers. If you want a little more complexity, FrontStreet Gedingding Cooperative comes from the Worka area at the southeastern edge of Yirgacheffe. The cooperative follows a traditional washed process, and the cup carries fresh, bright citrus and lemon acidity with a jasmine fragrance and none of the traditional bitterness. For a sweeter, fruit-forward option, FrontStreet Natural Red Cherry is dried as whole ripe cherries, showing citrus-like acidity, juicy berry, honeyed sweetness and a creamy smoothness.

Brew these as pour-over with a V60 dripper: 15g of coffee, a 1:15 ratio and water at 90-91°C, ground to the size of fine sugar (about 80% passing a 20-mesh sieve). Bloom with 30g of water for 30 seconds, pour in stages to roughly 125g, then finish to about 225g, aiming for a total drawdown of 2 to 2 minutes 10 seconds.