FrontStreet Coffee's Ethiopian Sidamo Shakisso Natural Premium Single Origin Coffee Beans

Product Information

Net Weight: 227g
Shelf Life: 90 days
Packaging: Bulk coffee beans
Roast Level: Light roast, raw or roasted options available
Origin: Ethiopia

Ethiopian Sidamo Shakisso Natural

Country: Ethiopia

Region: Guji Zone, Sidamo

Altitude: 2250-2350 meters

Processing Method: Natural

Variety: Local Heirloom

Producer: Local smallholder farmers

Grade: G1

Flavor Notes: Passion fruit, rose florals, strawberry jam

Regional Characteristics

Sidamo coffee is prized for its astonishing diversity. Differences in soil composition, microclimate, and the sheer number of native heirloom varieties mean that coffee from one district can taste strikingly different from coffee grown just a few kilometers away. The Sidama region sits in southern Ethiopia, where agriculture is the backbone of the local economy, and most of its coffee gardens cluster around the Great Rift Valley.

Awards

2016/2017 harvest season:

Ethiopia National Taste of Harvest Competition — Champion

2017 Regional Africa Taste of Harvest Competition — Runner-up

Processing Details

The Shakiso washing and drying station is located in Buku Abel village at about 2200 meters above sea level. During the harvest season (December to January), the station's high-altitude environment and cool climate shape the distinctive Shakisso cup. Natural processing only begins once the sugar content of the freshly picked red cherries exceeds 30. For the first two days on the drying beds, humidity is carefully maintained so the fruit sugars can kick off a slow, even fermentation.

At this altitude, nighttime temperatures fall to around 12°C, which prevents the off-flavors that come from overheated fermentation. During the warmer midday hours the cherries are shaded to protect them from direct sun, and at night thick plastic sheeting is pulled over the beds in case of sudden rain. The cherries thus dry and ferment at relatively low temperatures. After 18 days, once the moisture content of the green beans drops to roughly 13%, drying stops. The beans are bagged in jute and rested for about 50 days in ambient storage at 12-22°C and 40-50% humidity, allowing further slow drying. When moisture reaches about 10%, the beans are hulled, sorted, and released for sale.

Detailed Origin Information

Country: Ethiopia, Africa

Estate: Buku Abel estate, Dimtu, Hambella Wamena district, Guji

Variety: Ethiopian Heirloom native varieties

Altitude: 2250-2350 meters

Grade: G1

Processing Method: Natural (African raised drying beds)

Cupping Notes: Passion fruit, rose florals, strawberry jam, berry-like sweetness and acidity, peach flesh, and a black tea finish

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If you enjoy fruit-forward natural Ethiopians like this Shakisso, FrontStreet Coffee's Natural Hambella (Hua Kui) is a natural next step. Sourced from the Hambella growing area of Guji, Sidamo, it is processed using the traditional natural method: ripe cherries are dried for 21 days on raised beds and turned regularly so they dry evenly, with moldy or defective cherries hand-picked out every three to five days. Roasted medium-light, it opens with a gentle fermented winey note and florals, then delivers citrus and mango, a honeyed sweetness with cocoa and a touch of spice, and a full body with a long finish.