Yirgacheffe Coffee Bean Origin and Processing | How to Brew for the Best Taste

Ethiopia, a land full of wonders, is the birthplace of all Arabica coffee varieties. Among these, FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe has gained widespread popularity for its clear and bright flavor profile, earning it the nickname "the entry bean for coffee enthusiasts." Let's now take a closer look at FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe coffee!

Origin Information

Ethiopia is located between 6°-9° North latitude and 34°-40° East longitude, situated at the heart of the Horn of Africa as a landlocked country. The country is dominated by mountainous plateaus, mostly part of the Ethiopian Plateau, with the central and western regions forming the main plateau, accounting for two-thirds of the entire territory. The Great Rift Valley runs through the entire country, with an average altitude of nearly 3,000 meters, earning it the nickname "the Roof of Africa." The advantages of latitude and high altitude give coffee from this region excellent quality.

Yirgacheffe is a small town in Ethiopia, situated at an altitude of 1,700-2,100 meters, located in the northwestern part of the Sidamo province. Surrounded by mountains and lakes, it is one of Ethiopia's highest altitude coffee-producing regions and has become synonymous with Ethiopian specialty coffee. This area has been wetland since ancient times; in the local language, "Yirga" means "to settle down," and "Cheffe" means "wetland," so Yirgacheffe means "let's settle and make a living in this wetland."

Strictly speaking, Yirgacheffe is a sub-region of Ethiopia's Sidamo production area, located in the northwest of Sidamo. Surrounded by mountains and water, it is one of the highest altitude coffee-producing regions in Ethiopia. Due to its unique production methods and distinctive flavor profile, it has been established as an independent region. In addition to Yirgacheffe town, it also includes three surrounding sub-regions: Wenago, Kochere, and Gelena/Abaya.

Yirgacheffe Grading

All coffees are classified by processing method into either natural or washed, each further categorized into nine quality grades (G1-G9) based on physical characteristics and cupping quality. The grading standards are established by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), where smaller Arabic numerals indicate higher grades. FrontStreet Coffee's G1 Yirgacheffe has a distinctive style, with the irresistible flavor of citrus and floral notes fused in the coffee liquid that appeals to everyone.

Processing Methods

Washed Processing

Washed processing consists of the following steps: bean selection, pulp removal, fermentation, washing, drying, hulling, and sorting and grading. Through soaking and screening, mature coffee cherries are selected. After mechanical pulping, either fermentation in pools is used, utilizing bacteria's ability to decompose mucilage to remove it, or more powerful mechanical methods are employed to brush away all mucilage from the surface of the raw coffee beans. After washing, the coffee beans are dried in the sun or with the help of drying machines until the moisture content reaches about 12%. FrontStreet Coffee's washed Yirgacheffe coffee features clear flavors, more pronounced acidity, good cleanliness, medium body, and the most consistent raw bean quality.

Natural Processing

Natural processing is the oldest coffee processing method, also known as "natural drying." This method involves placing coffee beans directly under the sun for exposure, with drying periods lasting as long as 27-30 days. During the coffee drying process, it's worth noting that excessive sun exposure can cause coffee beans to crack, leading to defective beans. Although the operational process is relatively simple, naturally processed coffee beans have less appealing appearance, making them less popular. Unlike the clean flavor profile of washed processing, FrontStreet Coffee's natural Yirgacheffe coffee beans offer more complexity with prominent integrated flavors.

The biggest difference between washed and natural processing is that natural processing lacks two steps: the large water tank step to remove floating beans and the pulp screener to remove unripe fruits. Therefore, the ratio of defective beans in natural processing is higher.

Next, let's compare FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe with different processing methods!

FrontStreet Coffee Yirgacheffe Natural Red Cherry Coffee Beans

Region: Ethiopia, Yirgacheffe

Estate: Aleltan Estate

Altitude: 1,700-2,200m

Variety: Local Landrace

Processing Method: Natural Processing

FrontStreet Coffee's natural red cherry offers a dry aroma bursting with intense fruit fragrances, presenting rich dried fruit notes of strawberry, mango, and apricot jam. The wet aroma is like sweet syrup, resembling thick apricot pulp wrapped in rustic honey or chocolate. The entry is not intense, with medium body, reminiscent of fruit tea.

FrontStreet Coffee Yirgacheffe Gedeb Coffee Beans

Region: Ethiopia, Yirgacheffe

Producer: Gedeb Cooperative

Altitude: 2,000-2,100m

Variety: Local Landrace

Processing Method: Washed Processing

FrontStreet Coffee's washed Gedeb offers a dry aroma with fresh passion fruit, citrus, and berry acidity. The wet aroma presents citrus and berry notes. The entry features citrus acidity, berry sweetness, almond, tea-like sensations, and a honey-sweet aftertaste. It has low body, bright acidity, and is clean and refreshing.

FrontStreet Coffee's Brewing Suggestions

Dripper: V60 #01

Water Temperature: 90-91°C

Dose: 15g

Coffee-to-Water Ratio: 1:15

Grind Size: BG6m/Sugar particle size (80% pass-through rate with #20 standard sieve)

FrontStreet Coffee's Brewing Method: First, pour 30g of water for a 30-second bloom. Then pour 95g (scale shows approximately 125g), completing the pour in about 1 minute. When the water level drops to 2/3 of the coffee bed, pour the remaining 100g (scale shows approximately 225g), completing the pour in about 1 minute and 35 seconds. The drip should complete between 2'00"-2'10", then remove the dripper to complete extraction.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473