Rare Wushwush Variety Coffee from Birch Manor Estate in Colombia's Huilan Region

Discovering Wush Wush: The Enigmatic Ethiopian Coffee Variety

In Ethiopia, besides native varieties, recent years have seen an increasing emergence of other varieties such as the 74 series, Wush Wush, and Dega. Among these, Wush Wush is a variety that looks and sounds charming. Although not commonly found in the market, whenever it appears on a coffee menu, it always seems to attract the attention of numerous coffee enthusiasts. So, rather than waiting for the perfect opportunity, FrontStreet Coffee will introduce this variety to everyone today.

Like the renowned Geisha, Wush Wush is also a heirloom coffee from Ethiopia, discovered in a small village called Wush Wush, located within the town of Gimbo, just a few kilometers from the Kafa Biosphere Reserve. Wush Wush Village is famous for its fertile highlands, which not only preserve varieties that have gained popularity in the coffee world but also produce a high-quality tea of the same name, often mentioned in local stories.

The History and Development

In 1970, a severe coffee anthracnose epidemic swept across Ethiopia, a disease that had previously caused over 70% production loss in Kenya's coffee industry. To combat anthracnose, Ethiopia's renowned Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC) hoped to select naturally anthracnose-resistant varieties from wild coffee trees.

To this end, JARC explored the forest-covered areas of western Ethiopia, including Bishari, Gera, Wasi, Wush Wush, and other locations. As this is the center of Arabica origin with complex genetic diversity, researchers selected hundreds of coffee plants and brought them back to their laboratories.

After years of research and cultivation, in 1978, JARC selected a total of 13 anthracnose-resistant varieties and began promoting their cultivation throughout Ethiopia. Following the selection year, these varieties were given corresponding "74***" or "75***" designations. Those familiar with Ethiopian coffee might recognize these as the origins of today's renowned varieties 74110 and 74158.

Around 2002, JARC once again focused on 25 anthracnose-resistant coffee varieties selected from Wush Wush village, continuing their cultivation and purification. They discovered that these varieties not only resisted viruses but also possessed excellent flavor profiles. In 2006, JARC officially released the purified Wush Wush variety, which requires cultivation at high altitudes of 1,700-2,100 meters, giving us the highly sought-after coffee we have today.

From Ethiopia to Colombia

However, FrontStreet Coffee has discovered that compared to Ethiopia, most Wush Wush available in the market comes from another continent's country—Colombia. In terms of production, Colombia's Wush Wush has long surpassed that of Ethiopia, becoming the variety's second home. So, how did a variety from a small Ethiopian town end up in Colombia?

In the late 1970s, Colombia's National Coffee Research Center, Cenicafé, brought Wush Wush coffee seedlings from Ethiopia for cultivation and research. After selection and cultivation by researchers, the seedlings began to be distributed to representative estates in various Colombian regions between 1980 and 1990 for the first trial plantings. In this way, Wush Wush not only settled in Colombia but also gradually developed stronger adaptability through the differences in terroir, climate, soil, and cultivation methods across various farms.

Today, this variety has spread throughout Colombia's Santander, Tolima, and Huila provinces, with different terroir climates and cultivation management practices extending into different flavor and texture expressions. To taste this "niche" coffee variety, FrontStreet Coffee recently acquired a Colombian Wush Wush from the historic Finca Betulia in the Huila region, processed using the natural method.

FrontStreet Coffee: Colombia Finca Betulia Wush Wush

Region: Colombia, Huila
Estate: Finca Betulia
Altitude: 1,450-1,550 meters
Variety: Wush Wush
Processing: Natural
Flavor: Dark plum, black plum, lemon, dried blueberry

Finca Betulia is located in the city of Acevedo, Huila Department. Luis Anibal Calderón is a second-generation coffee farmer who started working in coffee fields with his father at age 12. At 15, his father gave him a small piece of land, and Luis earned income from it every year, which cultivated his interest in coffee cultivation. In 2005, Luis finally saved enough money to purchase a 20-hectare plot of land and established Finca Betulia.

In 2012, to overcome economic difficulties, Luis began experimenting with Geisha cultivation, planting approximately 5,000 seedlings that accounted for 5% of all coffee trees at the time. By 2015, these Geisha plants flowered and fruited as expected, providing Luis with good economic returns. This convinced him that planting rare, superior varieties was the right path forward. Consequently, he introduced many other rare varieties to the market, such as Pink Bourbon, Striped Bourbon, Sidra, Java, Papayo, and the Wush Wush that FrontStreet Coffee is introducing today.

Tasting Profile and Brewing Method

For the natural processed Wush Wush from Finca Betulia, FrontStreet Coffee observed that the variety's green beans are generally small and rounded. To highlight its fruity acidity, FrontStreet Coffee used a medium-light roast and conducted cupping to evaluate its profile.

In the dry aroma, this Wush Wush exhibits rich berry aromas after grinding, with hints of raisin notes reminiscent of preserved plums. As hot water is added, the coffee begins to release a brown sugar sweetness. Upon sipping, the coffee presents a rich acidity with flavors dominated by dark berries, plums, and grapes, accompanied by dark plum-like aromas and a subtle spicy finish. The texture is round and substantial.

FrontStreet Coffee Barista Brewing Recommendations

Considering the rich fruit acidity of this Wush Wush, to present full flavor layers, FrontStreet Coffee will use a V60 dripper. The V60 features flow ribs connecting the top and bottom and a large central hole that accelerate water flow, while the spiral-shaped air grooves extend the water path, increasing contact time between coffee grounds and water. Each water stream converges along the grooves toward the center of the dripper, concentrating pressure on the coffee grounds and extracting a coffee with richer layering.

Brewing parameters for Finca Betulia Wush Wush:

Dripper: V60
Water Temperature: 91-92°C
Dose: 15g
Ratio: 1:15
Grind Size: Fine sugar size (78-80% retention on standard #20 sieve)

Three-stage extraction: First, pour 15g of coffee grounds into the dripper and zero the scale. For the first stage, pour 30g of water for a 30-second bloom while starting the timer. Use a small water stream, pouring from the center outward in circles, ensuring the entire coffee bed is moistened.

For the second stage, use a slightly larger water stream to pour 120g of water, aiming to raise the entire coffee bed. The water stream should be poured vertically and evenly. The scale should read 150g at this point, completed at approximately 55 seconds.

When the water level drops to halfway, begin the third stage by pouring 90g of water in small circular motions. Try to control the water stream to avoid being too wide, which could disperse the coffee bed and cause under-extraction. The final total pour amount should be 240g, with completion time around 2 minutes and 10 seconds. After removing the dripper, shake the coffee in the sharing pot evenly before serving.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473