a bit about the bean
'Super-natural' coffee
Our Cheshire coffee is directly sourced through our partners at origin from various wet mills, cooperatives, small hold collectives and singles estates.
This edition comes from the Idido Gersi washing station with cherries coming from a small hold collective local to the kebele (village) where the washing station is located.
Shade-grown cherries are brought to the mill for meticulous sorting, ensuring only the ripest are selected. They are then fermented in sealed, valved tanks with added yeast cultures to enhance and expedite the natural fermentation process.
Following fermentation, the cherries are sun-dried on raised African beds for up to 21 days. During the day, they are regularly raked and turned to promote even drying, while being covered at high noon to prevent sun damage and at night to protect them from rain and moisture.
Once the cherries reach the ideal dryness, they are milled, graded, carefully hand-sorted, and packed in GrainPro bags before being exported.
a bit about the region
Ethiopian coffee
Coffee from Ethiopia's Yirgacheffe region is renowned for its exceptional quality and distinct flavour profile. Grown at high altitudes in the country's southern highlands, Yirgacheffe coffee is a favourite among the specialty scene for its complex fruity profile, mellow, sweet acidity and clean taste.
The coffee often features floral, citrus, and tea like notes, with hints of jasmine, bergamot, and lemon. The region's rich volcanic soil, ideal coffee growing climate, and traditional farming methods contribute to its unique character.
Yirgacheffe coffee is highly sought after by enthusiasts and is frequently used in premium single origin coffee offerings. Its complexity and delicate flavours make it a favourite for pour over and other manual brewing methods, reliably offering a vibrant and aromatic cup.
Flavour Profile: Coffee from this region is known for its clean flavour, sweet acidity, tropical, fruity, floral and tea like qualities.
a bit about the processing
Super natural yeast process
In traditional Ethiopian specialty natural processing, cherries are spread in a thin layer on raised beds and dried in direct or indirect sunlight. However, the supernatural method involves placing cherries in a thick layer on racks within a semi-permeable box.
This restricted sunlight and limited airflow creates a unique environment, extending the drying time and encouraging natural fermentation of the sugars in the cherries.
To maintain consistency, prevent over-fermentation, and avoid mold, it's crucial to closely monitor conditions throughout the process.
Temperature, Brix (sugar content measurement), and moisture levels are regularly checked, with adjustments made to airflow and ambient temperature as needed.
Once the cherries reach the optimal moisture content (around 12.5%), they are rested in a cool environment before further processing. This includes hulling, grading, sorting, hand-picking, and packaging in Grain pro bags for export.
Extended fermentation, anaerobic natural processing is a relatively new and experimental coffee processing method that combines the elements of extended fermentation, anaerobic processing, and natural drying. This unique combination can produce coffee with complex and distinctive flavour profiles.
This process can significantly alter the flavour profile of the final coffee, often resulting in bold, fruity, and sometimes even funky notes.
Oxygen-free environment: The key to anaerobic fermentation is the absence of oxygen. This allows for the development of unique flavour compounds that wouldn't be possible in a traditional fermentation process.
Microorganism activity: Microorganisms present in the coffee cherries play a vital role in breaking down sugars and other compounds, producing acids and complex flavours.
Flavour profiles: Anaerobic fermentation can produce a wide range of flavour profiles, from fruity and chocolatey to fermented and funky.
Experimentation: Producers can experiment with different fermentation times, temperatures, and cherry varieties to create a variety of unique coffees.