Sidamo Coffee Varieties and Flavor Profile: Introduction to Guohua 8.0 Pour-Over Grind Settings and Water Temperature Recommendations

Those familiar with the Yirgacheffe growing region may already know that it was separated from the Sidamo region to become an independent growing area due to its distinctive fresh flavor characteristics. Therefore, Sidamo and Yirgacheffe coffees can be described as two different types of floral and fruity coffees. When friends visit FrontStreet Coffee's storefront and want to drink Ethiopian beans but are unsure which to choose, FrontStreet Coffee's baristas will ask whether they prefer the fresh, bright lemon acidity or rich juice-like sweetness - the characteristic flavor profiles of Yirgacheffe and Sidamo coffees, respectively - helping customers quickly identify their preferred style.

Sidamo Growing Region

Sidamo is located in southern Ethiopia and became an independent region in 2009, with its own unique ethnic traditional cultural characteristics. Coffee trees in Sidamo are distributed on both sides of the East African Rift Valley, where the highlands have fertile soil and annual rainfall reaches up to 2000 millimeters, providing ideal conditions for coffee cultivation.

The higher altitude results in longer maturation time for coffee beans, making the harvest season later than in other Ethiopian regions. This also gives Sidamo coffee cherries richer flavor development. The most famous coffee-growing areas within Sidamo are Guji and West Arsi.

Guji Growing Region

The Guji growing region, formerly part of Sidamo, was established as a new growing region in 2010 by the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX) due to the exceptional flavor quality of its coffee beans. Guji is located adjacent to Yirgacheffe and features diverse terrain and landforms with fertile black soil reaching depths of up to two meters, allowing plants to establish deeper root systems. Additionally, the average elevation exceeds 1800 meters with significant temperature variations between day and night - all favorable conditions for producing high-quality coffee. Coffee cultivation requires minimal chemical fertilizers, as fallen leaves, plant debris, residual roots, and soil organic matter provide sufficient nutrients for vigorous coffee tree growth.

Currently, we often see both Sidamo and Guji growing regions mentioned simultaneously. This is mainly due to Ethiopia's administrative division system, which consists of four hierarchical levels from largest to smallest: Region, Zone, Woreda, and Kebele. Most green coffee bean names follow this naming convention. For example, "Horse Champion" (花魁) is located southeast of Yirgacheffe in the Sidamo region, administratively belonging to: Oromia Region → Guji Zone → Shakisso Woreda → Hambella Kebele.

Hambella "Horse Champion"

Hambella is situated at the border between Sidamo and Guji growing regions, administered under Guji region, and adjacent to Yirgacheffe's Kochere across mountainous terrain with an elevation of 3200 meters, making it the highest altitude sub-region in Ethiopia.

The "Horse Champion" coffee variety first appeared in 2017 when DW Company entered it in that year's TOH (Ethiopia National Taste of Harvest competition), where it won first place and subsequently entered the market. "Horse Champion" is called Hambella in English, named after its producing area. This coffee comes from natural-processed coffee beans at the Buku Abel processing station in Guji, which purchases coffee cherries from different areas near the farms for processing and sale.

During each annual coffee harvest season (December-January), Buku processing station organizes farmers to harvest fully red coffee cherries with sugar content values above 30. The selected coffee fruits are placed on African drying beds for sun-drying. Due to significant local temperature variations between day and night, farmers provide shade during midday to avoid excessive heat and over-fermentation, while using plastic covers at night to prevent sudden rain showers. The coffee cherries are continuously turned throughout the day and night, ensuring they don't pile too thickly, which allows for uniform drying while preventing sun scorching or unpleasant fermentation flavors. After approximately 18 days of natural processing, the moisture content of the green coffee beans drops to 13%, making them ready for mechanical hulling.

FrontStreet Coffee - Ethiopia Horse Champion 8.0

Region: Sidamo, Guji Growing Region
Altitude: 2250-2350m
Variety: Local Landraces
Processing Method: Natural Process
Flavor Notes: Passion Fruit, Berries, Strawberry

Local Landraces

Like most Ethiopian coffee varieties, the "Horse Champion" belongs to Ethiopian local landraces, also known as heirloom varieties. Typically, the beans show inconsistent sizes and shapes as they may contain multiple mixed varieties without individual separation. This is because Ethiopia, as a genetic treasure trove of coffee, has such numerous varieties that definitive classification is extremely difficult. Additionally, the local government has chosen not to disclose this variety information for protection purposes, hence they are collectively referred to as landraces.

Grinding Recommendations

Friends who frequently brew pour-over coffee certainly understand how significantly grind size affects coffee. Grind size primarily determines the particle size of coffee grounds, which affects the surface area in contact with water. For example, larger particles require more time for water to penetrate to the center and extract substances from the coffee grounds; smaller particles require less time for water to reach the center and extract substances. This means coarser coffee grounds result in lower coffee concentration, while finer grounds produce higher concentration. However, finer isn't always better - too fine a grind can lead to over-extraction, increasing bitterness in the coffee.

Regarding how to choose grind size, FrontStreet Coffee recognizes that everyone uses different grinding equipment. FrontStreet Coffee recommends using China's #20 standard sieve, which allows determining the appropriate grind setting through sieve filtration and facilitates future adjustments when brewing. For medium-light roasted coffees like Sidamo's "Horse Champion," FrontStreet Coffee recommends an 80% pass rate through the standard sieve. The grind setting used on FrontStreet Coffee's EK-43 grinder in their stores is setting 5, equivalent to fine sugar granule size.

Of course, for friends without grinding equipment at home, FrontStreet Coffee can provide coffee bean grinding services. The aroma of ground coffee volatilizes faster than whole beans, so friends who receive ground coffee should remember to consume it as soon as possible!

Brewing Recommendations

To fully appreciate the rich aroma of "Horse Champion," FrontStreet Coffee recommends brewing with freshly roasted coffee beans to better preserve the aromatic compounds. FrontStreet Coffee's coffee beans are all freshly roasted within 5 days, plus the time required for logistics, ensuring customers receive their coffee at the optimal tasting period for immediate brewing and enjoyment.

To extract the full aroma from high-altitude coffee beans, FrontStreet Coffee chooses higher brewing temperatures to release more aromatic compounds from the coffee, while also taking care to avoid over-extraction. Recommended brewing parameters:

Dripper: V60
Water Temperature: 92-93°C
Grind Size: 80% pass rate through #20 standard sieve
Coffee-to-Water Ratio: 1:15
Coffee Amount: 15 grams

When ground, the natural-processed "Horse Champion 5.0" releases rich tropical fruit aromas and honey-like sweetness. Upon tasting, it presents rich berry sweetness with complex notes of passion fruit and other fruits, featuring a tea-like mouthfeel and a long, memorable aftertaste that leaves one endlessly reminiscing.

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style)

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Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473