CHESHIRE · ETHIOPIA · EXTENDED ANAEROBIC NATURAL

ALL ABOUT THE BEAN: Gagari Gutiti

Gargari Gutiti washing station is a cherry processing facility in Banko, Gedeb, which specialises in experimental processes for Primrose, a specialty coffee company and one of our producer partners in the region.

Gargari Gutiti sits at 1,983masl and is notable for its highly strict and uncompromising standards. The small farmers in this region typically cultivate Jarc 74110, 7412 and 74165, sub-varieties of traditional Ethiopian heirloom varieties on small garden plots around their homes.

THE PROCESS:

In traditional Ethiopian specialty natural processing, cherries are spread in a thin layer over a raised bed and dried in indirect or direct sunlight. For supernatural, cherries spread in a thick layer on racks in a semi-permeable box, restricting access to sunlight while allowing limited airflow and oxygenation. This extends the overall drying time and increases the natural fermentation of the latent sugars in the cherries over the course of the drying period.
 
In order to ensure consistency, prevent over-fermentation, and avoid mould formation, it is essential that the conditions are strictly monitored throughout. Temperature, Brix and moisture readings are recorded periodically and small adjustments to airflow and ambient temperature are made accordingly.
 
Once the optimum moisture content has been reached (around 12.5%) the cherries are rested in a cool environment prior to secondary processing (hulling, grading, sorting, handpicking and bagging in Grainpro for export).