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Flavor Characteristics of Sun-Dried Yirgacheffe Coffee and Pour-Over Brewing Parameters: Grind Size and Coffee-to-Water Ratio

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, What are the flavor characteristics of Yirgacheffe coffee and how to brew it for the best taste? The coffee trees of Yirgacheffe were originally cultivated by European monks and later managed by farmers or cooperatives. Yirgacheffe is actually composed of surrounding coffee communities or cooperatives, mainly including: Hafursa, Hama, and Biloya. Origin: Ninety Plus Ethiopia Yirgacheffe region. Altitude: 1750-2000 meters.

The Exceptional Quality of Ethiopian Coffee

Everyone knows how exceptional Ethiopian coffee tastes, so FrontStreet Coffee doesn't need to elaborate further! The fact that it has garnered numerous followers worldwide is sufficient to demonstrate the remarkable charm of Ethiopian coffee. Among its renowned varieties, Yirgacheffe stands as an indispensable specialty coffee-producing region, offering unique flavors and superior quality—a truly remarkable coffee!

Understanding Yirgacheffe

When first hearing the name Yirgacheffe, one cannot help but feel intrigued. Yirgacheffe is the name of a small town in Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee. Historically a wetland area, it has now become synonymous with premium Ethiopian coffee.

Yirgacheffe is located in the Gedeo region of southern Ethiopia. This area governs the relatively well-known Yirgacheffe and Kochere regions. Due to the special flavor profile and unique style of coffee produced in Yirgacheffe, which is widely loved, it has established its own category in product classification and has always held a significant position in the global specialty coffee market.

Yirgacheffe, situated in the Sidama province, is itself a small town. Nearby are three small producing areas: Wenago, Kochere, and Gelena Abaya. Because the flavor profile of coffee produced in these areas is nearly identical to that of Yirgacheffe, Kochere has also been classified within the Yirgacheffe regional category.

Flavor Profile and Processing Methods

Though modest in appearance, Yirgacheffe coffee exudes an elegant charm and delightful sweetness that captivates without any embellishment. When medium-roasted, Yirgacheffe reveals distinctive lemon, floral, and honey-like sweet aromas, with gentle fruit acidity and citrus notes, creating a refreshingly bright cup.

Yirgacheffe traditionally used the most ancient natural processing method. However, in 1972, Ethiopia introduced Central and South American washing techniques to improve quality. This made the jasmine and citrus aromas of Yirgacheffe even clearer and more refined, elevating it to become an exceptional variety among world specialty beans. The exquisite washing technique played an indispensable role. Since the 1970s, this region has primarily focused on washed processing, becoming Ethiopia's most prominent washed coffee producing area.

In November 2009, Ethiopia implemented a new trading and grading system. In addition to Yirgacheffe, three new sub-regions were added: Wenago, Kochere, and Genlena Abaya.

Yirgacheffe Chelelektu

Chelelektu is located within the Kochere producing area of Yirgacheffe. The red coffee cherries come from approximately 500 local family coffee farmers in the surrounding area. These small farmers typically cultivate coffee plots averaging less than 2 hectares, at altitudes ranging from 1,900 to 2,000 meters. Their washed beans have achieved cupping scores as high as 94 points in historical records.

Today's Kochere region, with its largest town, village, or settlement being Chelelektu, is located approximately 18 kilometers southwest of Yirgacheffe town in a straight line. Starting from Yirgacheffe town and heading south, the altitude gradually increases until reaching a three-way intersection. Taking the right path leads toward Chelelektu, while taking the left path southeast leads to Gedeb and Wolkite.

Yirgacheffe Adado

The Yirgacheffe Adado producing area is located in the Gedeo region of Ethiopia. This area consists of a cooperative of 7,000 coffee farmers. Adado is actually the name of a tribe in this region, meaning that Gedeo zone is one of the regions in Ethiopia's Southern Nations, where both Yirgacheffe and Kochere are located.

Adado is a surprising micro-producing area within Yirgacheffe. When opening the bag, the air fills with abundant blueberry and vanilla aromas. After roasting and grinding, these aromas explosively disperse once again—truly a "blueberry bomb" in every sense.

Yirgacheffe Red Cherry

Speaking of Red Cherry naturally brings to mind the Red Cherry Project. What exactly is the Red Cherry Project?

In 2007, Dutch trading company Trabocca initiated the "OPERATION CHERRY RED PROJECT" with local farmers. The project was purely designed to incentivize farmers to improve coffee bean quality. At the beginning of the harvest season, Trabocca would designate microclimate zones for harvesting plans, manually selecting 100% ripe red coffee cherries, with production quantities ranging from 1,500 to 3,000 kilograms.

In 2008, the Red Cherry Project invested $5,000 to purchase new drying racks. In 2009, it invested $8,000 for new natural drying racks and shade nets. In 2010, it invested $9,000 for a generator, and in 2011, it continued to invest $10,000 to improve some local coffee transportation roads.

Trabocca provided interest-free loans to purchase new coffee cherry depulpers and coffee bean sorters. To facilitate supplier procurement, it invested $14,000 in 2012 to build a high-quality Addis Ababa coffee cupping laboratory.

Trabocca provides financial loan support, new hardware equipment, and production processing knowledge and technical assistance to help farmers improve their production levels. They promise to offer generous purchase prices as long as the actual output quality meets cupping standards in both Ethiopia's Addis Ababa and Amsterdam's cupping rooms. The passing standard set by Trabocca is 88 points.

Natural Processing Method

All three of these coffee varieties use the natural processing method. Natural processing is the oldest method, characterized by low cost and simplicity. The natural processing steps include: sorting out floating beans, sun-drying, and hulling.

FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Parameters

Filter: V60

Dose: 15 grams

Ratio: 1:15

Temperature: 90°C

Grind Size: BG#6S

FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Method

Use 30 grams of water for a 30-second bloom, then pour to 125 grams. Wait until the water level drops by half, then continue pouring to 225 grams. Total extraction time: 2 minutes.

Flavor Descriptions

Yirgacheffe Chelelektu: Lemon, citrus, berries, with refreshing lemon notes in the finish. The mouthfeel is relatively smooth and gentle.

Yirgacheffe Adado: Berries, tropical fruits, citrus, with blueberry acidity in the finish. The mouthfeel is rich and full-bodied.

Yirgacheffe Red Cherry: Wine-like aroma, berries, strawberries, with the sweet-tart profile of ripe fruits in the finish.

Conclusion

Through comparative tasting by FrontStreet Coffee's team, we concluded that: Yirgacheffe Chelelektu exhibits lemon acidity, relatively gentle; Yirgacheffe Adado shows blueberry acidity, relatively rich; Yirgacheffe Red Cherry displays the sweet-tart profile of ripe fruits, with a more persistent aftertaste.