While Ethiopia is famous as coffee’s birthplace, today it remains a specialty coffee industry darling for its incredible variety of flavors. While full traceability has been difficult in recent history, new regulations have made direct purchasing possible. We’re partnering directly with farmers to help them produce top quality specialty lots that are now completely traceable, adding value for farmers and roasters, alike.
The exceptional quality of Ethiopian coffee is due to a combination of factors. The genetic diversity of coffee varieties means that we find a diversity of flavor, even between (or within) farms with similar growing conditions and processing. In addition to varieties, processing methods also contribute to end quality. The final key ingredients for excellent coffee in Ethiopia are the producing traditions that have created the genetic diversity, processing infrastructure and great coffee we enjoy today.
Most producers in Ethiopia are smallholders, and the majority continue to cultivate coffee using traditional methods. As a result, most coffee is grown with no chemical fertilizer or pesticide use. Coffee is almost entirely cultivated, harvested and dried using manual systems.
This Limu coffee comes from the Western part of Ethiopia near the forests that are the birthplace of Arabica coffee. Limu and Djimma, another popular coffee producing region, overlap. The region shares many characteristics with the Southern regions, especially Yirgacheffe and Sidamo, coffees from the three regions also share the floral notes and citric acidity. Limu is known for having a fuller body than the other two regions.
Cultivation
Limu lies within the Djimma zone in the western highlands of Oromia, Ethiopia. The area is famous for its forests and abundant supply of water. The forests create the perfect conditions for the organic matter like fallen leaves and dead trees to compost and return their nutrients to the soil. This cycle of dirt returning to dirt means hummus-rich soils that keep coffee trees well fed.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
Most farms in Limu are semi-forest systems, typically under 1 hectare. Farmers selectively handpick cherry and most deliver their cherry to nearby washing stations. At intake, cherry is frequently floated to remove underripes and visually inspected for any damaged cherry. Cherry is pulped and fermented. The abundance of water in the region means that most washing stations will wet ferment coffee, and some will change the water several times during fermentation. After fermentation, parchment is washed in clean water and moved to raised beds to dry. At the beds, workers will pick over drying parchment to remove any damaged or defective parchment. Drying parchment is turned regularly to ensure even drying. Parchment typically takes about 10 days to dry.
Grade 2
In the Ethiopian grading system, grade 2 refers to the cup quality as well as physical quality of a coffee. A grade 2 allows between four and 13 full defects per 300gr green sample. The cup typically has fruity and clean characteristics without any off-flavors.
Ethiopia Sidamo 2 is a classic in every coffee range and is especially popular in blends. The cup quality can be very surprising for prices well below the grade 1 price point. For us, grade 2 coffee typically sits around an 83-84 cup score.
Origin: Ethiopia
Estate: Various Small Sidamo Estates
Altitude: 1500-1800 masl
Varieties: JARC varieties , Local Landraces
Harvest: October – January
Grade: GR2
Processing: Fully Washed
Cupping Notes: Spices, Dandelion & Black Tea
Small Batch Roasting: Roast For You Service – Terms & Conditions
Introduction
Small Batch Roasting now offers a service that offers personalised coffee roasting for customers who want to enjoy freshly roasted coffee tailored to their preferences.
Roast For You Service
When you choose to have your coffee roasted for you, we will roast the exact amount ordered and roast this for you to the selected roast profile you have chosen. Our small batch roasting process ensures that your coffee is roasted with care and precision, resulting in a high-quality, freshly roasted product.
Minimum Green Weight Requirement
Please be advised that the minimum green weight for roasting any one single origin is 6kg. Any orders placed with less than 6kg of each origin will be placed on hold and may cause delays in being dispatched. We will contact you to discuss how you wish to proceed in this case.
Weight Loss During Roasting
Please be mindful of the weight loss through moisture loss during roasting, which is typically between 12-20% depending on the level of roast. The darker the roast, the higher the moisture loss. This weight loss should be taken into account when ordering your coffee to ensure you receive the desired amount of roasted coffee.
Order Processing Time
Orders for roasted coffees will naturally take a little longer to process. Please allow a minimum of 3 days for your order to arrive from the point of order. If we are able to drop your order in the roasting schedule sooner, we will always endeavor to do so.
Mixed Orders
Mixed orders which include green and roasted coffees will be dispatched together when the roasted coffees are ready. We are unable to split these orders, so please consider the slightly longer delivery times when ordering mixed coffees.
Packaging
Your coffee will be bulk packed into a 6kg bulk bag with an identifying label on only. This packaging ensures that your coffee remains fresh and protected during transit.
Roast Profile and Liability
We will roast to your desired roast profile, but are unable to take any liability for any taste discrepancies that may arise from this. We are unable to take back any coffees once they have been roasted to your desired roast profile.
Yield Estimate
Typically, a medium roast coffee at 6kg green will yield 5.1kg of freshly roasted coffee. This estimate should be taken into account when ordering your coffee to ensure you receive the desired amount of roasted coffee.
