Introduction to Flavor Differences Between Natural and Washed Processing - Significant Differences Between Washed and Natural Yirgacheffe

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FrontStreet Coffee - Yirgacheffe Coffee Introduction

The origin of coffee traces back to Ethiopia in Africa. On this ancient African land, nature nurtured an incredibly magical fruit that has influenced the world to this day—coffee. While people in many parts of the world were still unaware of what coffee was, the Agao people of Ethiopia were already cultivating coffee and creating methods for drinking it. To this day, Ethiopia remains the origin of many premium coffee beans, with coffee enthusiasts from around the world making pilgrimages there, including to Yirgacheffe.

Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee beans, grown at high altitudes with significant temperature differences between day and night, mature slowly, resulting in high density and relatively small beans. However, their flavor is fragrant, gentle, and pleasantly sweet and sour. The phrase "coffee enters the mouth, a hundred flowers bloom" perfectly describes Yirgacheffe coffee, making it essentially synonymous with premium Ethiopian coffee. But who knows the difference between washed and natural processed Yirgacheffe?

Washed Processing Method

This method uses washing and fermentation to remove the fruit pulp and mucilage. First, the coffee beans are washed until clean. After washing, the coffee beans have a moisture content of 50% and must be dried to reduce the moisture content to 12%. Otherwise, the coffee beans exposed to air would continue to ferment and become moldy and spoiled. The most timely processing method is sun drying, which yields Yirgacheffe with excellent flavor and rich aroma.

The washed method produces good body, high concentrations of floral notes, and lively, gentle acidity. Yirgacheffe's distinctive style—where citrus and floral notes blend in the coffee—is an irresistible flavor for coffee enthusiasts.

Natural Processed Yirgacheffe

After harvesting, the fruits are not de-pulped but instead undergo sun drying (the oldest existing processing method). The drying and dehydration process typically lasts for a month. The processing method must ensure that the coffee doesn't lose flavor or become contaminated. Natural processed beans offer complete natural aroma, gentle fragrance, and higher sugar content.

Natural processed Yirgacheffe typically has a light fermented wine aroma, with stronger caramel notes, but the flavor tends to be richer, with honey-like sweetness, full body, and persistent aftertaste. The rich texture and unique gentle floral notes冲击 the taste buds, leaving an endless aftertaste. Washed Yirgacheffe has brighter acidity, similar to lemon acid, with a cleaner taste and more prominent citrus notes, ending with some tea-like qualities. Both have fruit acidity, closer to lemon and citrus-type fruits.

Knowledge Point

Shakisso (sometimes spelled Shakiso) is one of the most notable micro-regions in the Sidamo growing area.

In Summary

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