A Guide to Wild-Tasting Yirgacheffe Adado Specialty Coffee Beans: Grind Size, Roast Level, and Processing Methods

Originally, the coffee trees in Yirgacheffe were cultivated by European monks (similar to Belgian monks growing grain for brewing beer), but later they were managed by farmers or cooperatives. Yirgacheffe is actually composed of surrounding coffee communities or cooperatives, including Idido near Misty Valley, Harfusa, Hama, and Biloa, all using washed processing, though some premium beans are intentionally natural processed to enhance the charming fruity aroma and rich body. These mountain villages are shrouded in mist, with spring-like weather year-round. Summers bring gentle breezes—cool without heat, rainy without humidity—and winters avoid frost damage, nurturing a unique regional flavor with citrus and floral notes.

Coffee trees are mostly planted in farmers' backyards or mixed with other crops in fields. Each household's production is limited, making it typical pastoral coffee. Award-winning Yirgacheffe beans almost exclusively come from these coffee villages and communities. The so-called "Yirgacheffe flavor" refers to rich jasmine fragrance, lemon or lime acidity, and sweet notes of peach and almond or tea flavor. The phrase "coffee enters the mouth, a hundred flowers bloom" most aptly describes it—like flowers stimulating the palate and nasal olfactory cells with a sense of comfort. Beyond the floral aroma, the delicate body feels like silk massaging in the mouth—a wonderful tactile sensation. Currently, many coffee scientists are studying the microclimate and soil conditions around Yirgacheffe to formulate cultivation equations for specialty coffee.

Processing Methods and Classification

Yirgacheffe is divided into two main categories based on green bean processing methods: Class A uses washed processing, with standards set by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), divided into Grade 1 and Grade 2—smaller Arabic numerals indicate higher grades. Grade 1 Yirgacheffe has a distinctive style, and its citrus and floral flavors integrated into the coffee liquid create an irresistible taste for everyone. Class B uses natural processing for green beans, graded as Grade 1, Grade 3, Grade 4, and Grade 5. Similarly, the highest grade G1 natural Yirgacheffe has rich fruit aroma. Opening a bag of freshly roasted G1 natural Yirgacheffe can subvert everyone's original perception of coffee—only those who have tasted the highest grade natural Yirgacheffe will believe that coffee is a fruit.

Origin and Geography

Yirgacheffe is a small town in Ethiopia, situated at an altitude of 1,700-2,100 meters, located in the northwest of the Sidamo province, surrounded by mountains and lakes. It is one of Ethiopia's highest altitude coffee-growing regions and synonymous with Ethiopian specialty coffee.

Strictly speaking, Yirgacheffe is a sub-region within Ethiopia's Sidamo region, distinguished due to its special flavor profile. Besides Yirgacheffe town, it includes three surrounding sub-regions: Wenago, Kochere, and Gelena/Abaya.

Cultivation System and Environment

The mountain villages in the Yirgacheffe region are cool and misty, with spring-like weather year-round. Summers bring gentle breezes—cool without heat, rainy without humidity—and winters avoid frost damage, creating the optimal environment for growing Arabica. There are no large coffee plantations here; coffee farmers grow coffee mixed with other crops, typically under banana trees, forming a unique landscape.

Processing Methods

Ethiopia's traditional natural processing method was relatively crude, with heavy impurities that drew criticism. In 1959, the Yirgacheffe region introduced the washed processing method from South America. Most areas generally use washed processing—that is, after removing the coffee cherry skin, the mucilage layer is removed through fermentation and washing, then dried in the sun.

Since 2006, some coffee processing plants in certain regions have adopted refined raised-bed natural processing. This labor-intensive method isolates coffee cherries from ground contact, preventing earthy impurities during sun-drying and creating exceptionally clean fruit flavors. After more than two weeks of sun-drying, the dark brown coffee cherries are professionally stored, waiting for full flavor development. Before sale, the dried cherry pulp and parchment are removed, followed by elimination of underripe and over-fermented beans. Strict quality control has significantly improved the quality of natural processed beans.

Flavor Characteristics

FrontStreet Coffee's washed Yirgacheffe has unique lemon flavor, refreshing jasmine fragrance, gentle fruit acidity and citrus notes, with a fresh and bright taste.

FrontStreet Coffee's natural Yirgacheffe has charming fruit acidity, clean fermented fruit sweetness, elegant fruit wine aroma, and a sweet aftertaste.

Grading System

Ethiopia's coffee grading system is not determined by bean size but by the proportion of defective beans in green coffee. In October 2009, Ethiopia launched the ECX specialty coffee trading grading system, where Q-Graders make the following gradings through green bean evaluation:

Washed Yirgacheffe is divided into Grade 1 and Grade 2.

Natural Yirgacheffe is divided into Grade 1, Grade 3, Grade 4, and Grade 5.

Grade 1 is the highest grade, meaning the lowest defect rate and most excellent quality Yirgacheffe.

Natural Yirgacheffe has strict standards for harvesting red cherries (fruits from coffee trees). Before sun-drying coffee cherries, underripe green or defective fruits are manually removed first. During the drying process, damaged or moldy fruits are eliminated again. After two weeks, the fruit pulp's sugar and essence fully penetrate the coffee beans as moisture content drops to 12%. The hardened fruit flesh, mucilage layer, and pods are then scraped off with a machine. The extracted coffee beans undergo density and color testing. After eliminating defective beans, workers finally visually remove any missed defective beans. This multi-layered screening process creates FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe natural beans—clean, refined, with rich and charming fruit aroma. Since 2015, Grade 1 natural Yirgacheffe has appeared, exceeding Grade 1 washed beans in quality and appearance.

This bean is roasted until the first crack is dense, then removed for pour-over and siphon brewing. The aroma of natural fruit fragrance is apparent when grinding, with noticeable sweetness. It also has FrontStreet Coffee's washed Yirgacheffe signature citrus and jasmine fragrance. The taste combines Harar, Yemen Mocha, and washed Yirgacheffe flavors.

Yirgacheffe uses the most ancient natural processing method, but in 1972, Ethiopia introduced Central and South American washing technology to improve quality, making FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe jasmine and citrus aromas clearer and more refined, becoming a world-class specialty bean. The exquisite washing technique contributed greatly. After the 1970s, this region mainly focused on washed processing, becoming Ethiopia's most popular washed bean producing area.

However, in the past two years, Yirgacheffe has broken from convention, frequently launching stunning natural processed beans, becoming a rising star in the specialty market!

FrontStreet Coffee's natural Yirgacheffe beans are small, neat, and short-round shaped. Ethiopian natural beans are generally Grade 3-5, but this bean is Grade 2, equivalent to washed bean grade. Although there are still some defective beans, compared to Harar and Sidamo natural beans, it's remarkably valuable.

Yirgacheffe is a small town in Ethiopia, at an altitude of 1,700-2,100 meters, synonymous with Ethiopian specialty coffee. This area has been wetland since ancient times. In the old language, "Yirga" means "settle down," and "Cheffe" refers to "wetland." Therefore, Yirgacheffe means "let us settle and thrive in this wetland."

Strictly speaking, Yirgacheffe is a sub-region in Ethiopia's Sidamo province, located in the northwest of Sidamo, surrounded by mountains and lakes. It's one of Ethiopia's highest altitude coffee-growing regions. However, the production methods and flavors here are so outstanding that Ethiopian coffee farmers compete to pride themselves on having Yirgacheffe flavor in their coffee, thus becoming independent from the Sidamo region, forming its own style and becoming Africa's most renowned producing region.

The highest grades for Sidamo (Yirgacheffe, Sidamo) are Grade 2 and Grade 3 (G2, G3).

Naturally processed coffee from eastern Ethiopia is mostly Grade 4 or Grade 5 (G4, G5).

In many cases, Grade 4 coffee is marked as Grade 5 to reduce taxation. The current grading is not uniform and somewhat chaotic because there are also Grade 1 and Grade 2 (Grand G2) naturally processed Yirgacheffe coffees, but Harar's highest grade is Grade 4. Ethiopia is the homeland of Arabica coffee—it's in the forests of Ethiopia's Kaffa region where you can see wild Arabica coffee. In the Ethiopian language, coffee is called "Bun" or "Buna," and "coffee bean" might be translated from "Kaffa Bun." The Harar region discovered Arabica coffee early on, likely originating from the Kaffa forest.

FrontStreet Coffee's Ethiopian coffee is processed by both natural and washed methods, with significant flavor differences between coffees processed by different methods. Generally, FrontStreet Coffee's washed Sidamo, Yirgacheffe, and Limmu coffees have slightly lower body and earthy flavors, while naturally processed coffee has a wilder taste. However, each batch of Ethiopian coffee might have different taste profiles, requiring frequent cupping to find truly good coffee.

FrontStreet Coffee's Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee, though small in size, is gentle, elegant, and sweet. As the homeland of coffee, Ethiopia's thousand-year cultivation history and processing traditions have created high-quality washed Arabica beans. After light roasting, FrontStreet Coffee's Yirgacheffe has unique lemon, floral, and honey-like sweet aroma, gentle fruit acidity, and citrus notes, with a fresh and bright taste. Without milk or sugar, let the rich texture and unique soft floral notes brush across your taste buds, leaving an endless aftertaste!

Yirgacheffe is a small town at an altitude of 700-2,100 meters, synonymous with Ethiopian specialty coffee. This area has been wetland since ancient times. In the old language, "Yirga" means "settle down," and "Cheffe" means "wetland." The coffee production methods and flavors here are so outstanding that Ethiopian coffee farmers compete to pride themselves on having Yirgacheffe flavor in their coffee, becoming Africa's most renowned coffee-producing region.

Originally, Yirgacheffe's coffee trees were cultivated by European monks, later managed by farmers or cooperatives. Yirgacheffe is actually composed of surrounding coffee communities or cooperatives, mainly including: Harfusa, Hama, and Biloa.

These mountain villages are shrouded in mist, with spring-like weather year-round. Summers bring gentle breezes—cool without heat, rainy without humidity—and winters avoid frost damage, nurturing a unique regional flavor with citrus and floral notes. Coffee trees are mostly planted in farmers' backyards or mixed with other crops in fields. Yirgacheffe is a region under Ethiopia's Sidamo province, famous for its unique coffee flavor, with the name Yirgacheffe even surpassing its home province of Sidamo. Recently, Yirgacheffe has been overwhelmingly present in the domestic market, with more and more coffee enthusiasts familiar with various Yirgacheffe varieties.

There are many high-quality coffee processing plants in the Yirgacheffe region, with some coffees becoming hundred times more valuable due to their origin from these plants. Natural processed Yirgacheffe from Kebel Aricha Mill is one such example—this coffee is what we often call ARICHA beans, processed by Kebel Aricha plant using refined natural processing and rated as Grade 1 or G1 (Ethiopia's highest coffee grade) by ECX. Known as the "King of Fruits," it has a relatively rich taste with hints of chocolate and caramel, with acidity not very apparent. The taste is even richer and deeper than pour-over, with a slight jasmine tea flavor, noticeable sweet aftertaste that lingers in the mouth. The fermented flavor is not as heavy as the previous pour-over. As temperature decreases, acidity improves, appearing brighter, and the taste feels cleaner. Overall, using French press makes the coffee appear richer and deeper, with stronger flavor. The overall impression remains that citrus aroma is not obvious, even difficult to find, with characteristics of natural processed beans—rich taste, with fermented flavor. Using French press best interprets the coffee's original flavor, but some people may not be accustomed to the coffee grounds residue left by French press. Here I use a Bodum French press made for Starbucks—the filter is powerful but still leaves some coffee grounds.

In February 1977, Lieutenant Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam launched a military coup, serving as Chairman of the "Provisional Military Administrative Committee" and head of state. In 1979, the "Ethiopian Workers' Party Organization Committee" was established, dominated by military personnel, implementing a one-party system. In 1984, the "Ethiopian Workers' Party" was formed following the Soviet Communist model. In September 1987, Mengistu announced the dissolution of the "Provisional Military Administrative Committee," ending military rule, establishing the "People's Democratic Republic of Ethiopia," creating a new parliament, with Mengistu serving as national president and government head. In July 1991, the EPRDF convened a national conference with over 20 political and ethnic organizations participating. The conference passed the "Transitional Charter," elected an 87-member Council of Representatives, with EPRDF Chairman Meles Zenawi serving as transitional government president and Council of Representatives president. The transitional government was established. On May 24, 1993, Eritrea (formerly Ethiopia's Eritrea province) became a sovereign nation through a referendum under international supervision. Ethiopia's terrain is mainly mountainous plateaus, mostly belonging to the Ethiopian plateau, with the central and western plateau as the main body, accounting for 2/3 of the country. The East African Rift Valley runs through the entire territory, with an average altitude of nearly 3,000 meters, known as the "Roof of Africa." The terrain gradually descends around the plateau. The Danakil Depression in the north drops to 113 meters below sea level, the country's lowest point. The Red Sea coastal area is a narrow banded plain. Desert and semi-desert areas in the north, south, and northeast account for about 25% of the country's area. Mount Dashan in the Simien Mountains reaches 4,623 meters, Ethiopia's highest peak. Ethiopia is rectangular with a length-to-width ratio of 3:2. From top to bottom, it consists of three parallel equal horizontal rectangles in green, yellow, and red, with the national emblem pattern in the center of the flag. Since the late 19th century, Ethiopia has adopted a green, yellow, and red tricolor national flag. In modern history, Ethiopia was the first African country to join the ranks of free nations.

Ethiopia's coffee-producing regions are Sidamo, Harrar, and Yirgacheffe. Sidamo and Harrar are provincial and regional divisions—Sidamo located in southern Ethiopia bordering Kenya, Harrar in eastern Ethiopia bordering Somalia. Although Yirgacheffe is a small area within the larger Sidamo region, due to soil composition and water content, its coffee is considered Ethiopia's best.

In the West, Ethiopian coffee is generally marketed and sold as (Yirgacheffe, Sidamo, and Harrar).

In the specialty coffee field, there are five other small regional coffees: Limmu, Djimmah, Lekempti, Bebeka, and Wolega. Most commonly seen are Ethiopian Sidamo or Harrar coffees. FrontStreet Coffee's Ethiopian coffee grades: Ethiopian washed coffee Yirgacheffe G1, G2.

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