Sidamo Coffee Beans Flavor Profile Estate Origin Characteristics Varieties Brands Tage Estate Introduction

FrontStreet Coffee · Sidamo Coffee Beans Flavor, Taste, Estate, Region, Characteristics, Variety, Brand, and Tedd Estate Introduction

Washed coffees are less likely to carry wild characteristics; they tend to be pure and refreshing and suit City to Full City roast levels. Some exceptionally high-quality Ethiopian washed coffees may reveal distinct lemon, citrus essential oils, jasmine florals and honey flavors, with more noticeable acidity and a lighter body.

Natural-processed Mocha beans basically carry wild flavors in their profile, though the intensity varies. They suit Full City to Vienna roast levels. Exceptional natural-processed Mocha beans have distinct dark chocolate notes in the aftertaste, some with appealing blueberry-like fermented fruit aromas and red-wine-like textures.

Ethiopian Sidamo is a single-origin type: Arabica coffee grown in the Sidamo region of Ethiopia. Like most African coffee, FrontStreet Coffee's Ethiopian Sidamo has small, grayish beans, but its distinctive features are rich, spice-like, wine-like or chocolate-like flavors and floral aromas.

The most characteristic flavors found in all Sidamo coffee are lemon and citrus, with bright, crisp acidity. Properly processed, FrontStreet Coffee's natural Sidamo keeps its flavor uncompromised - besides the citrus aroma of washed beans it gains an additional rich berry fragrance. This comes from the beans being sealed in fruit pulp to dry and ferment for up to two weeks, a flavor generally absent in washed beans. If natural processing is mishandled, however, it easily develops earthy notes and loses all its elegant aromas. Natural-processed beans that lack rich fruit aroma cannot be considered premium quality.

FrontStreet Coffee · Ethiopian Natural Sidamo Flavor Profile

FrontStreet Coffee's Sidamo offers balanced flavor with higher sweetness, and its body is somewhat richer than FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe. In particular, the wine-like acidity and sweetness produced during natural pulp fermentation, combined with coffee's original cocoa bitterness, give certain batches of Sidamo an intoxicating liqueur-chocolate flavor.

Natural-processed Sidamo beans are mostly exported as G4 grade, while washed Sidamo, thanks to its more refined processing compared with the natural method, is mostly exported as G2 grade.

FrontStreet Coffee · Ethiopian Natural Sidamo - Medium Roast

There are many legends about Sidamo - the lost treasure of King Solomon is said to be buried in the Dawa Valley in the south. The Dawa Valley is densely forested and has had wild coffee forests since ancient times. Farmers selecting excellent coffee tree varieties from the forest and transplanting them to their own farms is a major characteristic here. Shakisso, in southern Sidamo, is the most famous coffee-producing area, with coffee that tastes remarkably of lemon with honey.

FrontStreet Coffee · Ethiopian Washed Sidamo

Both washed and natural-processed Sidamo, beyond their differences in body and sweetness, share the common advantages of a smooth mouthfeel and rich floral-orange aromas.

FrontStreet Coffee · Pour-over Sidamo

Hot coffee paired with fine, delicate white bone china is the best combination - it holds the coffee's temperature without affecting the taste or gloss, and colorful patterns will not disturb the aroma. The wooden base tray perfectly showcases the natural, noble qualities of the coffee in the cup. One might say this is truly understated luxury.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Among Ethiopian coffees, Sidamo is where that wild, wine-like natural character shows most clearly - and FrontStreet's Natural Sidamo is a fine place to start. Balanced and higher in sweetness, it is somewhat richer in body than FrontStreet's Yirgacheffe, and the wine-like acidity from natural pulp fermentation, paired with the coffee's cocoa bitterness, gives it an intoxicating liqueur-chocolate flavor. Natural Sidamo is mostly exported as G4 grade.

For a more specific expression of the region, FrontStreet's Natural Hambella from Guji, Sidamo, grown on a traditional sun-dried farm of some 200 hectares with 21 days of raised-bed drying, brings light fermented wine aroma, florals, citrus and mango over honey sweetness and cocoa with a hint of spice and a thick, lingering body. FrontStreet's Natural Guji Hambella and Hamasho lots - with the Hamasho station's JARC 74158 variety - add perfume lemon, strawberry and star fruit sweetness over a delicate floral lift. If you prefer the washed side, FrontStreet's washed Yirgacheffe shows the clean jasmine, citrus acidity and tea-like body that define the region's purest style.