Flavor Characteristics of Zhù Máng 90 Coffee vs. Yirgacheffe: Taste Differences

ETHIOPIA, SIDAMO, Drima Zede

Sun-Dried Sidamo

Ninety Plus Gem

01 | Region Profile

Sidamo grows in the southernmost Ethiopian highlands at altitudes between 4,600-7,200 feet (Sidamo province). It is a renowned specialty coffee region in southern Ethiopia, bordering Kenya, located southeast of Jimma and directly south of the capital. Typically characterized by distinct sweetness and widely appreciated, its annual production is approximately 225,000 bags of 60kg each. The beans are slightly smaller than Longberry, greenish with gray tones. In Sidamo's sun-drying fields, coffee is placed on hemp-net wooden racks, where workers manually stir the coffee under sunlight. Sun-dried Sidamo is commonly exported as G4, while washed Sidamo, due to its more refined processing, is mostly exported as G2 grade.

Sidamo's coffee flavors are exceptionally diverse. Different soil types, microclimates, and countless native coffee varieties characterize the region, which features towering mountains, highlands, plateaus, valleys, and plains with diverse topography. The region's geology consists of fertile, well-drained volcanic soil with depths reaching nearly two meters, with surface soil appearing dark brown or brown. The region's greatest advantage lies in maintaining soil fertility through organic material circulation, using fallen leaves from surrounding trees or plant root residues as fertilizer.

02 | Processing Method

High-Rack Sun-Drying Method

Drima Zede (meaning "Gem" in the local language for this Yirgacheffe variety) translates to "Best Approach" in the local dialect. According to information provided by the original producer, this Yirgacheffe is a specialized product series developed from over 90 years of experience. The ancient sun-drying method typically struggles to achieve pure flavors, but Drima Zede, with 90+ technical support, uses only hand-selected ripest coffee cherries. The sun-drying process involves meticulous constant stirring to ensure uniformity. The final result is an exceptionally transparent and pure taste profile with significant variations between hot and cold temperatures, featuring captivating fruit, floral, and oak barrel aromas.

Traditional Ethiopian sun-drying methods involved directly spreading wild-harvested coffee fruits on the ground for exposure. This method has two disadvantages:

1. Post-harvest beans are not specially screened or processed, with uneven appearance and maturity mixed together, resulting in a rough process. Consequently, coffee bean quality is unstable and prone to defective beans.

2. Coffee farmers typically find open spaces near their homes for processing, where the ground often contains impurities or dirt, making coffee susceptible to undesirable flavors.

The improved sun-drying method addresses these two traditional disadvantages:

1. Only fully ripe dark red coffee cherries are harvested during picking. Before exposure, beans undergo defect screening at the processing plant to ensure relatively uniform size and maturity.

2. Next, elevated wooden frames or entire sheds are used for sun-drying, eliminating the risk of beans picking up undesirable flavors from the ground. During exposure, beans require careful monitoring to ensure uniform water loss. Every three to five days, coffee workers manually screen and remove defective or moldy beans. Therefore, by the time exposure is complete and beans enter the facility for pulp and fruit removal, the vibrantly deep red coffee cherries are already of a grade with minimal defects.

03 | Green Bean Analysis

Sidamo coffee green beans have a slightly grayish appearance, with some areas coarse and others fine. They possess both gentle and bright acidity, appropriate body intensity, sweet and spicy flavors, making them one of the garden coffees from Ethiopia's southern highlands. Unlike typical African coffees, Sidamo features clear fruit acidity, smooth mouthfeel, and delicate floral and herbal aromas.

90+ Gem

Country: Ethiopia

Region: 90+SNNP, Sidama

Altitude: 1750-2000 meters

Processing Method: Natural Process

Variety: Ethiopian Heirloom

Roast Level: Light Roast

Flavor Notes: Floral aroma, nectarine, tropical fruits, blackberry, blueberry, plum, cream, cinnamon

Acidity: Medium-High

Ninety Plus Coffee, a specialty coffee supplier from the United States, was founded in 2006.

"Ninety Plus" does not refer to all coffees scoring above 90 points. Good coffee varies from year to year. Sometimes it appears in different estates with varying flavor characteristics. "Ninety Plus" refers to a premium coffee series of 13 flavor profiles. These coffees come exclusively from the American specialty coffee creator – Ninety Plus Coffee. They are all Ethiopian heirloom varieties, matured in ecological environments, processed to artistic standards for flavor optimization.

Processing is Ninety Plus's specialty. These coffees are separated by variety, microclimate, and harvest timing, each individually tasted, with processing methods specifically designed for each flavor profile to achieve distinct taste characteristics, much like major design brands. They meticulously research and devote significant effort to completing products that approach artistic craftsmanship. Natural products undergo extensive refinement and improvement before presenting their most beautiful form to everyone.

New season products may eliminate the original L grading system (previously L7\L12\L39\L139), with product and product line divisions based on more significant flavor differences. Product lines are divided into four major series: NinetyPlus Ethiopia, NinetyPlus Panama, Ninety Levelup, and NinetyPlus Limited.

04 | Roasting Analysis

Coffee beans with such magnificent flavors are naturally not suitable for medium-dark roasting. Therefore, this coffee is intended to be lightly slow-roasted to best showcase its rounded sweetness and rich floral and fruit aromas.

Yangjia 600g Semi-Direct Heat Roaster

Using a fast-stirring mode, beans are loaded at 200°C Celsius, with damper set to 3. After 30 seconds, heat is adjusted to 150°C, damper unchanged. Temperature return point at 1'32", 103.7°C, dehydration time at 5'21",此时豆表变为黄色，青草味完全消失，150度调一次火力，脱水完成，火力调至100度，风门调至4；

At 8 minutes 45 seconds, the bean surface shows ugly wrinkles and black markings, with the toast aroma clearly transitioning to coffee aroma, which can be defined as the prelude to first crack. First crack begins at 9'00, at which point the sound of first crack must be clearly heard, heat reduced to 80°C, damper fully opened to 5 (heat adjustment must be very careful, not so low as to eliminate crackling sounds). 1'55" after first crack, unload at 195°C.

05 | Brewing Analysis

Pour-Over Reference

Using Key's dripper, 16g of coffee with 32g of water, bloom for 30 seconds, extract at 89-90°C water temperature, 1:15 ratio, medium-fine grind (Fuji 3.5), second pour to 110ml then pause. Wait for water level to drop before slowly pouring again, maintaining even speed, keeping water level not too high. Pour to 233ml and stop. Extraction time 2:15 seconds. Rich sun-dried sweetness. Everyone can fine-tune according to their taste preferences.

Flavor Differences Between Gem 90 Coffee and Yirgacheffe

As both are Ethiopian sun-dried beans, Gem, after undergoing strict supervision and selection, avoids the frustrating earthy impurities and high defect rates common in typical sun-dried beans, instead highlighting the captivating sweetness that makes sun-dried processing renowned. Gem's captivating fruity tonality inherits the enchanting aromas bestowed by traditional Ethiopian sun-drying, unreservedly expressing rounded, full-bodied sweetness with lingering aftertaste and perfectly mouth-watering fruit acidity. Gem's daily brewing is also quite accessible, with the beans themselves rich in flavor. Whether using refreshing drip brewing or rich espresso brewing, it can excellently showcase its inherent characteristics.

Gem's captivating fruity tonality inherits the enchanting aromas bestowed by traditional Ethiopian sun-drying, unreservedly expressing rounded, full-bodied sweetness with lingering aftertaste and perfectly mouth-watering fruit acidity. Gem's daily brewing is also quite accessible, with the beans themselves rich in flavor. Whether using refreshing drip brewing or rich espresso brewing, it can excellently showcase its inherent characteristics.

Sidamo offers balanced flavors with higher sweetness, and its body is also slightly thicker than Yirgacheffe. Especially the wine-like acidity and sweetness produced during the sun-dried pulp fermentation process, combined with coffee's original cocoa bitterness, gives certain batches of Sidamo an intoxicating flavor reminiscent of liqueur-filled chocolates.

Due to Ethiopia's still backward grading system, by grade it can be divided into Special Grade (usually referring to washed Yirgacheffe and Sidamo), Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, Grade 4, and Grade 5.

The ancient sun-drying method typically struggles to achieve pure flavors, but Drima Zede, with 90+ technical support, uses only hand-selected ripest coffee cherries. The sun-drying process involves meticulous constant stirring to ensure uniformity. The final result is an exceptionally transparent and pure taste profile with significant variations between hot and cold temperatures, featuring captivating fruit, floral, and oak barrel aromas.

Pour-over Sidamo: 15g coffee, medium-fine grind (Fuji serrated blade 3.5), V60 dripper, 91-93°C water temperature. First pour 30g water, bloom for 27 seconds. Pour to 105g then pause. Wait for the water level in the coffee bed to drop to half before pouring again. Slowly pour until reaching 225g. Avoid the tail section. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15. Extraction time 2:00.

Purchase link: https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z10.3-c.w4002-15673140470.9.3bc49599SiEHzq&id=539597297862

Pour-over Gem: 15g coffee, medium-fine grind (Fuji serrated blade 3.5), V60 dripper, 91-93°C water temperature. First pour 30g water, bloom for 27 seconds. Pour to 105g then pause. Wait for the water level in the coffee bed to drop to half before pouring again. Slowly pour until reaching 225g. Avoid the tail section. Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15. Extraction time 2:00.

Purchase link: https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z10.3-c.w4002-15673140470.13.400c283aWCYDSV&id=45744532491

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but diverse coffee bean varieties, where you can find both famous and lesser-known beans. Online store services are also available. https://shop104210103.taobao.com

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473