Ethiopia - Sidamo from Premium Estates with Refined Washed or Natural Processing

Ethiopia - Guji Region

Sidamo grows in the southernmost Ethiopian highlands, at elevations between 4,600 and 7,200 feet in Sidamo province, southeast of Jimma and directly south of the capital. It typically shows pronounced sweetness and is a favorite among many coffee lovers. Annual production runs to approximately 225,000 bags (60kg each). The beans are slightly smaller than Longberry and greenish-gray in color. On Sidamo's natural drying fields, coffee is spread on wooden racks fitted with jute nets, where workers turn it by hand under the sun. FrontStreet Coffee's natural Sidamo is typically exported as G4 grade, while the washed Sidamo, being more refined, is mostly exported as G2.

Natural-processed lots offer floral notes with subtle earthy undertones, while washed lots present nutty fruit flavors with hints of light cocoa. Both share a smooth mouthfeel, good viscosity, pleasant acidity, and delightful aromatics. The growing region sits very close to Yirgacheffe and the flavor profile is quite similar; through meticulous washing or natural processing it likewise achieves floral and citrus notes with smooth acidity, rivaling Yirgacheffe in prestige. Like Yirgacheffe, this variety features medium-sized beans, though dwarf types with smaller beans also exist. FrontStreet Coffee's Sidamo is typically roasted light to medium to preserve the variety's bright acidity and intoxicating floral aromas.

Product Details

Product Name: FrontStreet Coffee Ethiopia Sidamo Coffee Beans

Country: Ethiopia

Grade: G1

Region: Guji

Altitude: 1800-2000m

Soil Type: Volcanic Red Soil

Annual Rainfall: 1100-1200cm

Processing Method: Natural

Variety: Local Heirloom

Processing Station: Hirusa Cooperative

Green Bean Size: 17-18 screen

Flavor Notes: Jasmine, Honey, Citrus, Ripe Berries

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If Sidamo's floral-and-citrus character appeals to you, FrontStreet Coffee's closest companion to it is the washed Yirgacheffe daily bean. It is the classic doorway into Ethiopia's coffees — white jasmine, bright citrus and lemon acidity, and a tea-like body — and its friendly price has made it the very first specialty bean for many drinkers. Yirgacheffe is a small town in Ethiopia's Sidamo province, in the south of the country, at roughly 1700-2100 m, with the trees planted above 1800 m; that makes it one of the highest coffee regions in the world and explains the intensity of its white florals and lemon-citrus acidity. Its reputation grew so large that in 2010 the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange separated it from Sidamo, creating the Yirgacheffe name we use today.

For a single-estate expression, reach for the washed Godinding cooperative lot, from the Worka area at the southeastern edge of Yirgacheffe. Originally part of the Worka cooperative under the YCFCU alliance, Godinding was later established as its own single origin as buyers chased ever more traceability, and it is often called the last clean spring of Yirgacheffe. It follows the most traditional washed methods, and because the fruit is removed before drying, its inherent aromatics read with unusual clarity: clean, bright citrus and lemon with jasmine fragrance and none of the traditional bitterness. If you prefer a sweeter, juicier cup, the natural-processed Red Cherry is the answer. Only fully ripe, sound cherries are chosen, given a first sorting, then dried whole on raised beds; in the first days they are turned every 2-3 hours to prevent uneven fermentation, and after three to five weeks the dried fruit is hulled away. The result keeps the classic Yirgacheffe profile while adding tropical fruit aroma, with citrus acidity, berry-juice body, honeyed sweetness, and a creamy smoothness.

To brew these at home, FrontStreet Coffee suggests a V60 at 90-91°C, 15g of coffee at a 1:15 ratio, and a fine-sugar grind (EK43s setting 10, roughly 80% through a #20 sieve). Pour 30g of water to bloom for 30 seconds, then a further 95g (the scale reading about 125g), finishing near the one-minute mark; once the water falls to about two-thirds of the bed, add the remaining 100g (the scale reading about 225g) by roughly 1 minute 35 seconds. The full drawdown finishes at 2:00-2:10, and the cup is ready to serve.