Sidamo Coffee Flavor Profile, Taste Characteristics, Origin, Processing Method & Variety Introduction

Sidamo and Yirgacheffe: Two Distinct Ethiopian Coffee Profiles

Sidamo coffee and Yirgacheffe coffee are both African beans, specifically from Ethiopia, yet they offer distinctly different flavor profiles. Yirgacheffe coffee delights with its bright, fresh lemon acidity and jasmine floral notes, while Sidamo region coffee presents a rich juiciness with intense floral and fruit aromas, delivering a substantial mouthfeel that clearly elevates it beyond Yirgacheffe. Of course, these represent two completely different flavor styles, each with their own character and distinct taste.

Perhaps we've been influenced by washed Yirgacheffe, but let's not forget that Sidamo is just as renowned as Yirgacheffe as one of Ethiopia's famous specialty coffee regions! While Yirgacheffe has washed processing, Sidamo boasts natural-processed Flower Queen coffee! Among these, FrontStreet Coffee's natural Flower Queen 5.0 is the most popular!

FrontStreet Coffee invites you to explore the Sidamo coffee region with us.

The Renowned Sidamo Coffee Region

Like Yirgacheffe, Sidamo has long been world-renowned. On the international stage, Sidamo frequently appears among the top winners in various coffee competitions. In recent years, Sidamo has consistently ranked in prestigious coffee competitions such as COE and TOH.

Sidamo region, situated at elevations of 1400-2200 meters, is a famous specialty coffee area in southern Ethiopia, bordering Kenya. Washed Sidamo beans appear light green, are relatively small, and grow in an oval shape with plump fruit. Their average quality is excellent, with aromatic and mellow characteristics that leave an endless aftertaste, embodying a wild beauty. FrontStreet Coffee believes that Sidamo's coffee flavors are incredibly diverse due to its various soil types, microclimates, and countless native coffee varieties, resulting in distinct differences and characteristics in coffee produced by different towns.

According to FrontStreet Coffee's research, during 2010-2012, the region consistently achieved high scores of 92-94 from the authoritative American coffee evaluation website CR, demonstrating the exceptional quality of green beans from this region. Sidamo's coffee flavors are remarkably diverse. Different soil types, microclimates, and countless native coffee varieties, combined with towering mountains, highlands, plateaus, valleys, and plains, create diverse topography. The region's geology features fertile, well-drained volcanic soil with depths of nearly two meters, with surface soil appearing dark brown or brown. The region's greatest advantage lies in maintaining soil fertility through organic material cycling, using fallen leaves from surrounding trees or plant residue as fertilizer. Unlike typical African coffees, Sidamo offers clear fruit acidity, smooth texture, and delicate floral and herbal aromas.

Flower Queen Coffee: Sidamo's Pride

When discussing Sidamo, Flower Queen coffee inevitably comes to mind, with natural-processed Flower Queen being the most representative. Flower Queen coffee originates from the Guji region's Hambella area within Sidamo. The Guji region was once part of Sidamo but was established as an independent new region by the Ethiopia Commodity Exchange (ECX) in 2010. Located southeast of Yirgacheffe, Guji features complex topography with towering mountains, valleys, and plains. The region's geology consists of fertile black soil (Vertisol) with depths of nearly two meters and an average elevation exceeding 1800 meters. The significant day-night temperature variations created by these geographical conditions provide all the terroir elements necessary for producing high-quality specialty coffee.

What is Flower Queen Coffee?

Flower Queen coffee beans were originally named Hambella, with the "Flower Queen" designation given by domestic green bean importers. This coffee comes from Hambella, located in Ethiopia's largest coffee region, Guji, administratively belonging to the Oromia state. Hambella's west faces Yirgacheffe's Kochere across mountains, separated by highlands with an elevation of 3200 meters and a width of about 30 kilometers. To the southeast, east, and north, it borders Guji's Shakiso, Uraga, and Kercha sub-regions, making it Ethiopia's highest-elevation coffee sub-region.

Currently, there are about 20 processing stations of various scales in the Hambella region. In 2017, Ethiopia's DW green bean company submitted their coffee beans to the TOH (The Taste of Harvest) competition organized by the African Fine Coffee Association. A natural-processed batch from the "Buku Abel" processing station won the Ethiopian championship with its intense strawberry and cream aromas. That same year, this batch of green beans was imported to China by Beijing's green bean trader Hongshun. Subsequently, Li Jianfei used this coffee to win second place in the 2017 World Brewers Cup China competition. This Ethiopian bean stood out among numerous Geisha entries, earning it the name "Flower Queen." (Geisha in Japanese means geisha, while Flower Queen refers to the leader among geishas, indicating this bean's exceptional quality.)

This means: only natural-processed coffee beans produced and processed at Buku Abel can be called "Flower Queen." The coffee trees growing at elevations over 2000 meters are surrounded by sugarcane, bananas, and other tropical plants that provide appropriate shade. Such growing conditions create Flower Queen coffee with delightful sweetness, smoothness, and balance. The natural processing method further enhances the coffee's aromatic sweetness.

Flower Queen Coffee Varieties

Some might ask: the Flower Queen 5.0 packaging lists "local native varieties" - what varieties are these? FrontStreet Coffee explains: As the birthplace of coffee, Ethiopia possesses an enormous number of coffee varieties, both known and unknown. Ethiopia is like a treasure trove of varieties. Many varieties remain undiscovered, and to protect genetic information, the Ethiopian government collectively refers to them as "local native varieties." Therefore, Flower Queen 5.0's variety is listed as local native varieties.

Sidamo Coffee Bean Processing Methods

While Yirgacheffe coffee is typically associated with washed processing, its traditional method is actually natural processing. Currently, natural-processed coffee beans account for over 70% of Ethiopia's production. Sidamo coffee region primarily uses natural processing methods.

Natural processing is one of the oldest and most classic processing methods. The steps for natural processing are simpler compared to other methods - coffee cherries are dried in the sun for several weeks until the moisture content drops to around 11%, then machines remove the fruit skin and pulp. The beans are then stored in warehouses awaiting export.

Sidamo green coffee beans appear slightly grayish, with some being large while others are small. They offer balanced acidity, appropriate body, sweet spiciness, and are among the garden coffees of Ethiopia's southern highlands. Unlike typical African coffees, Sidamo features clear fruit acidity, smooth texture, and delicate floral and herbal aromas.

Natural-processed Sidamo offers floral aromas with slight earthy notes, while washed processing brings nutty fruit notes with subtle cocoa aromas. Both share smooth mouthfeel and viscosity, with pleasant acidity and aroma. Light to medium roasts suit single-origin brewing, while medium to dark roasts work well for blends and excellent espresso bases.

Understanding Flower Queen Version Numbers

Another question arises: why do Flower Queen coffees have versions like 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0? What do these numbers mean? Let's explore together.

Flower Queen coffee beans are agricultural products, naturally influenced by climate, so each year's flavor profile varies slightly. The Flower Queen X.0 naming system is based on harvest year: Flower Queen 2.0 was launched in 2018, Flower Queen 3.0 and 3.1 in 2019, Flower Queen 4.0 in 2020, Flower Queen 5.0 in 2021, and Flower Queen 6.0 in 2022. This system helps distinguish coffee beans from different years.

FrontStreet Coffee's Brewing Recommendations

To enjoy a delicious cup of coffee, FrontStreet Coffee believes that coffee bean freshness is crucial. Fresh beans allow you to experience the coffee's rich flavors to the fullest extent. Coffee beans shipped by FrontStreet Coffee are all roasted within 5 days, as FrontStreet Coffee understands that freshness significantly impacts flavor. FrontStreet Coffee's roasting philosophy is "Freshly Roasted Good Coffee," ensuring every customer receives the freshest coffee when their order arrives. The degassing period for coffee is about 4-7 days, so when customers receive their coffee, it's at its peak flavor.

Of course, some customers need FrontStreet Coffee to grind their beans, which is no problem. However, FrontStreet Coffee reminds you: pre-ground coffee beans don't require further degassing, as the pressure from carbon dioxide buildup in the packaging during transport helps mellow the coffee flavor, so you can brew immediately upon receiving the ground coffee. However, ground coffee should be brewed promptly, as it oxidizes quickly when exposed to air, meaning the coffee's flavors will dissipate more rapidly. Therefore, FrontStreet Coffee recommends purchasing whole beans and grinding fresh before brewing to better appreciate the coffee's flavors.

FrontStreet Coffee's Natural Flower Queen Brewing Parameters:

For this light-roasted Yirgacheffe, FrontStreet Coffee recommends: V60 dripper, water temperature 90°C, 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, 15g coffee dose, grind size (80% pass-through on Chinese standard #20 sieve).

Using a multi-stage extraction, bloom with twice the coffee weight in water (30g water for 30 seconds). The blooming process allows coffee grounds to release internal carbon dioxide, ensuring more stable extraction later. Pour with small circular motions to 125g, then continue pouring to 225g. Remove the dripper when the water finishes dripping. Time from the first pour: 2'00". Then gently swirl the entire coffee to mix before pouring into cups for tasting.

Natural Flower Queen 5.0 Flavor Profile: Very pronounced floral and fruit aromas, with notes of citrus, passion fruit, strawberry, and oolong tea, with high sweetness.

At FrontStreet Coffee, Ethiopian single-origin beans are abundant, mostly from Yirgacheffe and Sidamo regions. Among these, washed Yirgacheffe coffee is FrontStreet Coffee's most popular daily coffee and an excellent choice for beginners, offering great value! FrontStreet Coffee's Flower Queen is the most popular single-origin coffee, both available for ordering on the Tmall flagship store. Of course, FrontStreet Coffee also offers dozens of different single-origin coffees from various producing countries and regions - coffee enthusiasts are in for a treat!

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473