Description
A stellar cup, for you Ethiopian washed fans and/or lighter roast fans, this is one not to miss!
This lot comes from the Halo Beriti washing station, located in the Gedeb district (woreda) within the Gedeo Zone of Yirgacheffe, one of Ethiopia’s most recognized coffee regions. The station is managed by Boledu Coffee, the company founded in 2017 by Abeyot Ageze (who grew up around the station and was a smallholder farmer himself) and Mebrahtu Aynalem, and it works with a network of more than 1,000 Gedeo smallholders who deliver their coffee in cherry form. Many of these plots, averaging around two hectares each, are family-managed and have been passed down through generations alongside subsistence crops like avocado, enset, and soybeans.
Gedeb sits among the highest altitudes in Yirgacheffe, roughly between 1,950 and 2,300 meters above sea level, surrounded by dense forest and cut through by rivers and creeks. The coffee grows under the shade of native trees, predominantly Birbira and Acacia, which slow cherry maturation, stabilize temperatures, and support biodiversity. Because of the altitude and moderate temperatures, Halo Beriti is among the stations that harvest and process latest in the Ethiopian season, generally between November and January, which translates into dense, uniformly sized beans.
This is a washed Grade 1, the top quality grade in the Ethiopian classification. Cherry is picked ripe, depulped, and fermented in tanks for several hours (between 48 and 72 depending on ambient temperature), then washed in water channels before drying on raised beds for about 10 to 12 days. The varieties are local Ethiopian landraces, mainly Wolisho and Dega. Boledu layers a community-focused approach onto the tradition: higher payments for those who deliver better quality cherry, a second payment shared among producers, and the separation of standout lots, a model that has earned international recognition including the Cup of Excellence and Australia’s Golden Bean.
Tasting Notes: This is an exceptionally floral cup, the most floral coffee in our current lineup. The acidity is very pleasant but not especially bright, leaning floral rather than sharp. What stood out most was a marked cherry note that comes through in both the aroma and the cup, a character that stays present throughout and blends beautifully with jasmine aromatics. It carries a gentle sweetness alongside chocolate and cacao tones, all wrapped in a very clean cup. We recommend a light roast, medium worked as well but slightly muted the sweet floral tones. Any full roast those delicate floral touches can fade and disappear entirely . If you do opt for a darker roast, the coffee will lose some acidity while gaining more sweetness and body, developing spice and a peppery, spicy edge, still a tasty cup and would be the traditional roast level for average Ethiopians.
Roasting Notes: Moderate chaff and even roasting thanks to the density and uniform size of these high-grown beans. To see it at its best, keep it in the light to medium ranges. Erroring a touch lighter will promote those florals and the crisp citric edge, but be careful not to stop short of first crack or it can turn a little grassy. A point just past first crack is the safest spot to balance sweetness and aromatics. If you push it too dark it will still be tasty, but it loses its florals and turns flatter. Letting it rest a couple of extra days helps smooth out the cup and bring greater depth to the flavors.
John G Turner (verified owner) –
I like dark roasted coffees. My palette is chocolate, caramel, nutty. I roasted this coffee to medium and am pleasantly surprised. Very smooth. Low acidity. Great daily drinker.
I will roast the other half a darker roast. Just to 2nd crack. Stay tuned.
bcockman (verified owner) –
Yirgacheff is perhaps one of the most talked about coffee varieties on the internet that I’ve seen, but mostly in terms of pour over (I’m espresso). I’m finally trying it, and everyone seems to be right about its fruit-forward notes. I’m also getting some spice (cardamom?) and chocolate on the back side. I tried for a medium to reduce chances of acidity. Dry End was at 3:25 with 1st crack at 7:00. I ended the roast into a bean cooler at 9:00 with 1st crack lasting through most of development. I use a Fresh Roast SR800 w/extension tube. No other mods.