What Are the Characteristics of Ethiopian Sidamo Region Coffee? How Is the Flavor of Washed Sidamo Described?

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FrontStreet Coffee - Sidamo Coffee Introduction

The Sidamo growing region is one of Ethiopia's most renowned coffee-producing areas, with an average altitude ranging from 1,400 to 1,700 meters. The primary processing methods for green beans are mainly washed and natural. Washed coffee beans offer stable quality, bright acidity, and a clean profile, while natural processed beans exhibit a more wild and robust character. The roasting methods are also distinctive.

Sidamo grows in the southernmost Ethiopian highlands at altitudes between 4,600-7,200 feet (Sidamo Province). It is a famous specialty coffee region in southern Ethiopia, bordering Kenya, situated southeast of Jimma and directly south of the capital. Typically characterized by pronounced sweetness, it is favored by many coffee enthusiasts, with an annual production of approximately 225,000 bags of 60kg each.

The coffee flavors in Sidamo are exceptionally diverse. Different soil types, microclimates, and countless native coffee varieties create a remarkable complexity. The region features towering mountains, highlands, plateaus, valleys, and plains, with diverse topography. The local geology consists of fertile, well-drained volcanic soil, with depths reaching nearly two meters. The surface soil appears dark brown or brown.

In Sidamo's natural drying fields, coffee is placed on wooden frames with jute nets. Workers take turns manually stirring the coffee under sun exposure. Natural processed Sidamo is typically exported as G4 grade, while washed Sidamo, due to more refined processing methods, is predominantly exported as G2 grade.

Natural Process Sidamo

The beans are somewhat smaller than Longberry varieties, greenish-yellow in color. In Sidamo's natural drying fields, coffee is placed on wooden frames with jute nets, where workers manually stir the coffee under sun exposure. Natural processed Sidamo is typically exported as G4 grade, while washed Sidamo, due to more refined processing methods, is predominantly exported as G2 grade.

Washed Sidamo

The green coffee beans show a slightly grayish-green hue, with some areas appearing coarse while others are fine. It offers a balanced acidity that is both gentle and intense, with appropriate body density, sweet and spicy notes, making it one of the garden coffees from Ethiopia's southern highlands. Unlike most African coffees, Sidamo features clear fruit acidity, a smooth mouthfeel, and delicate floral and herbal aromas.

Knowledge Point

Arabica varieties were most likely first discovered in southern Sudan, but it wasn't until they spread to Ethiopia that they gradually flourished and developed.

In Summary

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