Ethiopian Sidama Buna Boka – Washed Gr. 2 FTO

Description

Buna Boka is one of the primary cooperatives of the Sidama Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union, one of Ethiopia’s best-known exporting bodies. The Sidama union is comprised of 53 coffee cooperatives and over 80,000 member households. Coffees here are earlier than in the far south, delicate, and citric. Sidama has one of the most robust cooperative unions in the country with 53 member cooperatives, many with two or more processing sites.

There are 1069 farmer members in Buna Boka, who average a single hectare of coffee cultivation each, and the vast majority of coffee produced by the members is fully washed.

Buna Boka was founded in 1975 and functioned independently, as did many coops and processing groups back then, for lack of a greater export network. This lasted until the late 90s and operated largely via a system of local collectors and buyers, who would then deliver consolidated cherry to processors or export auctions. The formation of cooperative unions allowed for voting power and higher farm returns from the direct exportation that unions would be capable of. Certifications, as well, easily earned by the organic methods of Ethiopia’s smallholders and a conscious business plan, could be secured for price protection and marketing purposes, helping vast populations of smallholders gain small but meaningful leverage in the global marketplace that remains to this day.

Tasting Notes: A lovely cup of certified Ethiopian. Lemony and floral upfront balanced with a chocolatey/herbal/spice dark tone reminiscent of black tea. Although this cup has some more acidic features, we would consider it a darker toned Ethiopian cup, best from medium to dark roasts, a little slower roast will benefit this bean, building more robust and jazzy dark tones in the cup while muting some of the more acidic notes. Light to medium roasts one will get some crisp tones in the cup which add some good depth of flavor and present a nicely balanced and smooth cup, best for drip or pour-over methods, dark roasts though, are exotic with a bakers-chocolate/black-tea like spin, stronger cup with some kick, lovely bean for espresso or mixed beverages.

Roasting Notes: Easy cup to roast, make sure you get some development past first crack, can risk a little grassy at super light roasts. Great from a medium roast to as dark as you want to go. Medium chaff, shouldn’t cause any issues. A slower roast helps mute some acidity and bring the lovely complex dark tone to the foreground.