Origin: Ethiopia
District: Yirgacheffe
Altitude: 2200 MASL
Washing Station: Aricha Wubanchi
Cultivars: Heirloom
Process: Fully Washed
Aricha is located in Yirgacheffe district, Gedeo zone in the ‘Southern Nations, Nationalities & Peoples’ (SNNP) region of Ethiopia. Over a number of years the region has developed a distinguished reputation for fine coffees, producing some of the most sought-after micro-lots in world. The combination of high altitude (up to 2,200m in some areas), fertile soil, consistent and plentiful rains, and an abundance of local knowledge are all contributing factors to the high status of Yirgacheffe coffees.
The local indigenous ‘heirloom’ varietals – which grow wild in Ethiopia – are responsible for the unique flavour notes which make for an unusual but refined cup. When processed naturally through sun drying these present with juicy and jammy stone-fruit flavours, floral and chocolate notes with a creamy body.
Ripe cherries are delivered to the wet mill for careful sorting and pulping, before fermentation for 36-48 hours, depending on the climactic conditions. After this point the parchment coffee is thoroughly washed and graded by bean density before being dried in the sun on raised African beds for 10-12 days (until the ideal moisture level has been reached). In the daytime the parchment needs to be raked and turned periodically to ensure a consistent drying process. The coffee is also covered between 12pm and 3pm to protect it from the hot sun, and at night time to protect it from rainfall and moisture. Once the coffee has dried to the right level it is transported to Addis Ababa for dry-milling, grading, intensive sorting and handpicking, before being bagged in GrainPro for export.
James W –
So far just tried in the aeropress but planning on trying v60 and cold brew too.
super nice yirgacheffe, great flavors coming through, vibrant with a clean finish. getting big apricot and florals with a hint of citrus at the end.
Rob –
Hello James, thank you for your review, the first one for this new coffee 🙂
Michael (verified owner) –
IMHO Butterworth purvey some of the finest coffees available in the UK. And this one is my favourite. Gets on well with my espresso machine.
Jon H (verified owner) –
Really lovely coffee using a V60. A very light and floral cup with an almost tea-like quality whilst still very much being a great coffee.
The citrus flavours dominate and were immediately obvious on brewing and from the first sips. The tasting notes are absolutely spot on.
I prefer darker and richer coffees so probably won’t try this one again but it was an interesting experiment to taste what the other side of the coffee spectrum is like. I would recommend it to people just because it gives a sense of the wide variety of flavours you can produce from roasting some beans!
Thomas Clarke (verified owner) –
Even for Espresso, these Ethiopian beans are some of the best tasting, flavourful beans you can get. Ethiopia never disappoints, extremely versatile working amazing in filter, moka pot, aeropress and espresso.
Never disappointed with B&S Coffee
David Fallon (verified owner) –
Lovely coffee. Sweet stone fruits dominate when taken black, with chocolate notes developing when milk is added.
Method: filter