Yirgacheffe Coffee Flavor Profile and Brewing Techniques

Professional Coffee Knowledge Exchange

A washed Yirgacheffe from a single washing station is one of the clearest expressions of Ethiopian coffee there is.

FrontStreet Coffee - Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Kochere Washed Pour-over Introduction

Kochere Washed G1 comes from the Teklu Dembel washing station in Kochere Woreda, Yirgacheffe. The area grows Ethiopian heirloom varieties, and new wild varieties are still being identified through cupping, which keeps adding unique flavors to the pool. Kochere is made up of many family farms, and this batch is a blend from several hundred smallholders. The farms sit at an average altitude of 1,800-2,100 meters.

The Kochere area has always produced excellent quality, and combined with the meticulous work at the Teklu Dembel station, this Yirgacheffe is exceptionally charming.

Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Kochere Washed

• Altitude: 1,800-2,100m
• Variety: Local heirloom varieties
• Processing Method: Washed
• Flavor: Floral, clean fruit sweetness

Brewing Recommendations:

• Water Temperature: 90-94°C
• Grind: Medium grind
• Recommended Extraction Ratio: 1:15-1:18, with the strength adjusted to taste

Use 30g of water for a 30-second bloom and start the timer when you begin pouring. For the second pour, continue to 125g; once the water level drops and the bed is about to be exposed, make the third pour to 225g. When the water level drops again and the bed is about to be exposed, remove the dripper. Total extraction time: 2:00.

About FrontStreet Coffee

In brief, FrontStreet Coffee is a coffee research house devoted to sharing coffee knowledge with everyone. We share everything without reservation, to help more people fall in love with coffee. We also run three discounted coffee events every month, because FrontStreet Coffee wants to bring the best coffee at the lowest prices to as many people as possible, and that has been our mission for the past six years.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

FrontStreet Coffee's Gedingding Cooperative is the closest match to the coffee above: a washed, single-station Ethiopian lot from the Gedingding village in the Worka area at Yirgacheffe's southeastern edge. The group began as part of the Worka Cooperative under the YCFCU alliance and later became a single origin in its own right, working with traditional washed processing. The result is jasmine florals and a bright, clean citrus and lemon acidity, with green tea and honey emerging after a light-medium roast. It is a natural fit for pour-over, and works just as well as cold brew or espresso.

If you would rather start with the most classic version of the region, FrontStreet Coffee's Washed Yirgacheffe is the everyday house lot. Known for white jasmine, bright citrus and lemon acidity, and a tea-like finish, it is the coffee that introduced a great many drinkers to Ethiopian specialty coffee, and its accessible price makes it easy to brew daily.

For the natural-processed counterpart, FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe Red Cherry uses only fully ripe, sound cherries, dried on raised beds and turned every two to three hours for the first few days. After three to five weeks the outer fruit is machine-scraped away, and the cup shows citrus-like acidity, a juicy berry mid-palate, honeyed sweetness, and a creamy body.