Description
First new crop Ethiopian Natural Yirgacheffe to make the list and a very tasty cup. A bit darker toned and less fruity than some of the other natural we stock but holds the profile very well and is very clean, fresh and exotic! A steal for a top notch Ethiopian cup.
This awesome tasting lot is put together by METAD. A third-generation family owned business with a rich history that began after World War II when the Ethiopian Emperor awarded Muluemebet Emiru, the first African female pilot and family matriarch, with land in the Guji and Sidama zones that has become the Hambela Coffee Estate.
Tasting Notes: Lighter roasts show crisp floral acidity with hints of red fruit and a nice and spicy chocolaty undertone that is pretty tea like, which is what the Yirgacheffe region is known for. The aromatics are wonderful and a bit stronger in the fruitiness but only a hint comes through in the tastes. Medium roasts were a bit more chuggable with a bit less acidity and much richer and smoother more developed chocolaty tones. Darker roasts work equally as well, hardly fruity but robust semi-sweet more bakers chocolate tones with the tea like spice and a smoky finish. There is a roast level with these beans to make any coffee drinker happy.
Roasting Notes: Best to error a little darker than lighter on these beans. Tasty from light to dark depending on the drinker but lighter roasts can be a little sharp and acidic for some. Almost everyone will like the more chocolaty factor from medium to dark.
METAD is managed by Aman Adinew who returned to Ethiopia after many years working abroad at the executive level for multiple fortune 500 companies because he wanted to make a difference for his family and community. Through Aman’s leadership, METAD has strengthened the local community with employment opportunities including a workforce that is over seventy percent women, educational opportunities including university scholarships and sponsorship for a state-of-the-art elementary school with more than 700 students, and healthcare for employees.
METAD was also first to partner with Grounds for Health in Ethiopia to implement a successful cervical cancer screening program for women within the coffee growing communities. METAD has an expanding Out-grower program designed to provide technical assistance, share modern farming equipment, and provide certification programs for more than 5,000 local farmers who are paid premiums for their cherry and second payments after coffee is sold. Quality and certification premiums have also helped METAD build roads and community centers. METAD has the first and only private state-of-the-art SCAA certified coffee quality control lab on the African continent used to train both domestic and international coffee professionals.
George Zakhia (verified owner) –
A truly phenomenal cup get it to a Full City Roast, and you would be rewarded with a fruity cup, reminiscent of blueberries, with muted dark chocolate notes. I used to think all coffees tasted the same until I tried this.
Keith Patrick (verified owner) –
The king of coffee – Yirgacheffe. This is my favorite, better than Kona, JMB, Geisha, you name it. Chocolately and utterly smooth, with almost no acidity on the tongue, and the fresh grind is like no other. For a real treat, brew this 50-50 with Tanzania peaberry for depth (I actually prefer 60% peaberry here)