Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Coffee Region Growing Altitude Flavor Characteristics - Idido Cooperative Coffee Beans Brewing Flavor Description

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Since the implementation of the Ethiopia Commodity Exchange (EXC) system in 2008, most raw coffee beans have been sold through this bidding system. However, cooperatives are not governed by these regulations and can directly negotiate, price, and export with buyers. The establishment of cooperatives allows farmers to avoid low-price exploitation by middlemen. When facing economic difficulties, cooperatives can also provide loan assistance. This brings significant positive benefits to both farmers and coffee production.

IDIDO Cooperative

IDIDO is one of the members of the Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union (YCFCU), which was established in 2002 and has 24 primary cooperatives with approximately 50,000 farmers. Currently, cooperatives are not regulated by the ECX (Ethiopian Coffee Exchange) system for bulk coffee trading, allowing buyers to select each batch of raw beans according to their preferences and quality standards, with traceability to detailed coffee profiles such as origin, cultivation/producers, etc. Through such direct trade methods, buyers and farmers establish deeper relationships. Farmers not only receive reasonable compensation but also gain material or financial assistance such as berry processing equipment, processing facilities, etc., enabling them to produce higher-quality coffee.

The IDIDO Cooperative is situated in the high-altitude valleys of Yirgacheffe town, with an annual rainfall of approximately 1400-1800mm. Local small-scale farmers grow coffee at altitudes around 2000 meters. Benefiting from cool mountain air, coffee can mature slowly under favorable soil conditions and ecosystems. Small farmers then harvest fully ripe red cherries from December to February each year. Like other cooperatives, IDIDO possesses excellent conditions for producing top-tier coffee: 1. High altitude 2. Outstanding processing techniques 3. Nutrient-rich soil 4. Ethiopian native varieties. Through cultivation in such superior geographical environments, FrontStreet Coffee discovered that coffee beans produced here have a captivating floral aroma, somewhat resembling the characteristics of Geisha coffee.

FrontStreet Coffee — Yirgacheffe Red Honey Process Red Cherry

Region: Yirgacheffe Idido

Altitude: 2000-2200m

Processing Method: Red Honey Process

Variety: Local Native Varieties

Grade: G1

What is Red Cherry?

The "Red Cherry Project" (ORC) is a quality enhancement project for small-scale farms. In 2007, Trabocca, the largest raw coffee bean supplier in the Netherlands, launched the "Red Cherry Project" in pursuit of high-quality Ethiopian beans. The project requires that coffee beans not only be harvested when fully red but also collected entirely by hand. These fully red fruits resemble mature red cherries, hence they are called Red Cherry coffee fruits.

Trabocca, the largest coffee bean supplier in the Netherlands, invites all Ethiopian farms to produce small batches of approximately 1500-3000 kilograms (25-50 bags) of beans before the harvest season. Women can only select fully 100% mature red cherries, which makes a significant difference in the brewed coffee flavor. Therefore, diligent, sharp-eyed, and hardworking Ethiopian women are crucial drivers of the Red Cherry Project. The Red Cherry Project is also a reinforcement approach that encourages farms to invest more effort in the bean selection process. These coffees are also priced relatively higher.

Imagine that in fully mature coffee fruits, the flesh and mucilage contain abundant sugars. Through cupping, FrontStreet Coffee discovered that coffee beans from the Red Cherry Project exhibit significantly more sweetness than conventionally harvested beans, making them particularly suitable for natural or honey processing methods to enhance coffee sweetness.

Red Honey Processing Method

Honey processing refers to the method of producing raw beans by sun-drying with the mucilage intact. After removing the outer pulp from coffee beans, a layer of viscous gelatinous substance remains. Traditional washed processing uses clean water to wash away this mucilage, but this direct sun-drying method was developed due to water resource limitations in some high-altitude regions.

The mucilage portion is the part of the coffee fruit with the highest sugar content and is an important component of coffee processing fermentation. This portion determines approximately 80% of the nutritional supplementation during processing. Yellow honey retains 60% of mucilage, red honey retains 75% of mucilage, and black honey retains almost all mucilage. FrontStreet Coffee believes that red honey processed coffee beans have a smooth texture reminiscent of berry juice and enhance the sweetness of the coffee beans.

FrontStreet Coffee Roasting Records

FrontStreet Coffee's roaster uses a Yangjia 800N semi-direct flame roaster with a batch size of 550 grams. The beans are loaded at 180°C with 130 heat power and damper setting at 3. The turning point occurs at 1'32", and when the temperature reaches 146°C, the damper is opened to 4 with unchanged heat power. When the temperature reaches 149°C, the bean surface turns yellow and grassy aroma completely disappears, entering the dehydration phase. When the temperature reaches 166°C, the heat power is adjusted to 110 with the damper unchanged.

At 7'43", the bean surface shows ugly wrinkles and black spots, with the toast aroma clearly transitioning to coffee aroma, which can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this point, careful attention must be paid to the sound of first crack. At 8'29", first crack begins, damper is opened to 5, and development continues for 1'28" after first crack, with beans discharged at 190°C.

FrontStreet Coffee Cupping Report

FrontStreet Coffee conducts cupping within 8-24 hours after roasting sample coffee beans. The cupping bowl used is a 200ml ceramic bowl with water temperature at 94°C. The cupping grind size is standardized to pass through a #20 sieve (0.85mm) at a rate of 70%-75%. Ratio: 11g of coffee powder to 200ml of hot water, i.e., 1:18.18, which extracts a concentration precisely within the 1.15%-1.35% Golden Cup range, with an immersion time of 4 minutes.

The freshly ground aroma presents fresh floral notes of jasmine and ginger flowers. After pouring 94°C hot water, FrontStreet Coffee's barista detected captivating jasmine fragrance and the sweetness of berry juice. Upon slurping, the first impression is bright citrus-like acidity, followed by berry juice sensation. The mouth then fills with jasmine and ginger flower aromas, while the finish leaves honey-like sweetness and almond notes lingering on the tongue.

FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Tips

Filter: V60 #01

Water Temperature: 90-91°C

Dose: 15g

Ratio: 1:15

Grind Size: Medium-fine (80% pass through #20 sieve)

Frontsteet Brewing Method: First wet the filter paper and preheat the dripper and coffee pot. Use 30g of water for bloom for 30 seconds. Using a small water stream, pour in circles to 125g, then segment the pour. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g and stop. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed again, remove the filter cup (timing from the start of bloom). Total extraction time is 2'07".

Brewing Flavor: Aromas of ginger flowers, with citrus, lemon, and fruit candy notes upon entry. The mid-palate features cedar aroma and honey sweetness, while the finish presents oolong tea sensations with a persistent creamy aftertaste.

For more specialty coffee beans, please add FrontStreet Coffee's private WeChat: kaixinguoguo0925

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473