Coffee beans originate from Ethiopia, which is why the country is highly respected. Some of the best single-origin coffees in the world are produced here. Why is this coffee-growing country so special? We will explore this question in more depth today.
This East African nation has a rich history of coffee, which we will be exploring, as well as its current state.
Get ready to become an expert in Ethiopian coffee!
Ethiopian coffee facts
Ethiopia: The source of coffee
According to ancient Ethiopian history, coffee was first discovered by a goat herder named Kaldi around 850 AD. The story goes that he found his goats eating the coffee fruit from the trees and they were dancing around crazily.
He was really interested in these “magic” beans and brought them home with him.
When Kaldi presented the benefits of coffee to a monk, the monk threw the beans in the fire, proclaiming that the magic effect was the work of the devil.
The coffee beans started roasting and the room filled with the fresh smell of coffee. Earlier signs of coffee brewing as a beverage are from much later.
The original name for coffee came from Ethiopia, where coffee was discovered. In Ethiopia, coffee trees grow naturally, which is unlike almost every other coffee-growing country.
The perfect growing conditions for coffee beans
Ethiopia is the original home of coffee. This area has been home to coffee trees for centuries. The environment is perfect for producing great coffee without adding anything to it. There are over a thousand different types of coffee that grow in Ethiopia.
The southern mountainous region has high elevations, making it an excellent place to grow crops.
The soil is deep and the vegetation is lush. In most cases, coffee is grown without the use of agricultural chemicals, in the shade, and among other plants.
Coffee farmers in most parts of the world have to be very specific about the type of coffee trees they plant and carefully create the perfect conditions for them. For example, they might need to plant extra trees to provide shade for the coffee trees.
The flavor profile of Ethiopian beans
Ethiopian coffee is known for its bright, fruity, and floral flavors. These coffees usually have a strong acidity, light body, and complex flavor.
The beans are either washed or naturally processed. The final taste of coffee is greatly affected by the processing method used. When coffee beans are wet-processed, or washed, the fruit is immediately removed mechanically.
The beans have a bright and complex flavor. The final cup is very clean tasting. Coffees that are processed naturally are dried with the fruit still on the bean. The fruit pulp is not removed until right before it is exported.
Most coffee from Ethiopia is processed naturally. This is how people have been doing it for years, and not much has changed. While wet processing is newer, it is constantly changing as new equipment is introduced.
Until 1995, Ethiopia was divided into provinces. The country is now divided into districts, but people still commonly use the province name to indicate location. The province of Sidamo, located in the south of the country, is home to many of the coffee-growing areas.
The Yirgacheffe coffee comes from the Sidamo region, which is a small town located near some of the best coffee farms in the world. Many producers in Ethiopia prefer the wet processing method.
The coffee produced using this method is brighter, more acidic, and has a light body with a sweet, fruity flavor and floral notes. This is a place where you can learn more about Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee.
Another fantastic region is Guji. The Guji region in southern Sidamo is home to some of the best coffee in the world. The cup will have sweet floral notes, such as jasmine, melon and peach, and a tea-like body.
Harrar is a city located in the east of Ethiopia, near the capital city of Addis Ababa. This region almost exclusively produces dry-processed coffee. The coffee will have flavors like wine, wild fruit, and syrup.
Some coffees from Ethiopia that are labeled as Harrar coffee are actually Mocha coffee. This is because the finest coffee in the world (including coffee from Yemen) was traditionally shipped from the Red Sea port.
The importance of the Ethiopian coffee ceremony
Coffee is extremely important to Ethiopians, who may spend several hours a day drinking it. The coffee ceremony is the most important social connection in Ethiopian culture. If you are invited to something, it means that the person who invited you respects and likes you.
Ceremonies usually last 2-3 hours, and it is normal for families to go to 2-3 of them each day. This event is for the whole family, where even children help serve coffee to the elders.
Guests are often invited, and the conversation can include topics such as politics and the local community.
The coffee is roasted fresh in a pan, ground by hand using a tool similar to a mortar and pestle, and brewed slowly in a traditional piece of pottery by boiling over an open fire. The coffee is slowly poured out so that grounds aren’t also poured out.
The coffee ceremony involves roasting green coffee beans in a pan. The coffee beans are roasted and then ground up using a mortar and pestle. The coffee is then brewed in a jebena, which is a traditional earthenware pot with a narrow spout.
Coffee is served in small cups with lots of sugar. In some regions, the coffee is served with additional spices such as cinnamon or cardamom.
This ritual gives people the opportunity to socialize and talk about family, work, politics, and more. If you’re lucky enough to experience Ethiopian coffee, either in Ethiopia or at an Ethiopian restaurant, make sure to savory the coffee, praise your host or hostess, and just enjoy the experience!
Some historians believe that coffee was originally consumed by mixing ground coffee beans with ghee or animal fat, instead of just consuming the beans as a drink. This would provide sustenance during long journeys. Coffee is sometimes consumed as a porridge in certain parts of the U.S.
Ethiopian coffee beans
one may wonder what types of environments coffee beans thrive in. When you look at Ethiopia’s coffee growing regions, you’ll see that they are mountainous, highly elevated, and lush. This is why you should visit the Ethiopian Highlands.
In general, the best coffee is grown at elevations above 1,200m (4,000ft). The Ethiopian coffee beans develop slowly at higher elevations due to the lack of oxygen and light.
This means that the coffee beans are more dense, have a more intense flavor, and can withstand roasting better. Strictly High Grown (SHG) or Strictly Hard Bean (SHB) beans are known for their high quality.
Most experienced coffee drinkers prefer Ethiopia coffee beans. It takes a coffee lover with a refined palate to appreciate the herbal flavor nuances.
Coffee trees do not grow in direct sunlight like other plants, but thrive in the shade of others. In Ethiopia, coffee grows naturally without the need for shade plants or structures. However, in other coffee cultivation regions around the world, shade plants or structures are necessary.
Approximately 50% of the coffee grown in Ethiopia is consumed within the country, and the Ethiopian coffee ceremony is a central part of socializing.
If you’re looking for ways to make your daily cup of coffee more quickly and efficiently, the Ethiopian coffee ceremony may not be for you. The ceremony requires 2-3 hours of your time, and being invited to one means you are a cherished guest.
The culture in Ethiopia has been greatly influenced by coffee. Even today, coffee is still celebrated by many people. Ethiopians consider coffee to be the bread of their country because it is so delicious.
If you have never experienced the complexity of Ethiopia coffee beans, we suggest giving them a try! Ethiopia coffee beans are some of the most intricate and delicious beans available, and we think everyone should experience them at least once!
The coffee beans that are grown in Ethiopia are of the arabica variety and can be classified as Longberry, Shortberry, or Mocha. There are also a wide variety of cultivars of arabica coffee (both wild and developed) in Ethiopia.
Best Ethiopian coffee
If you believe all the hype around Ethiopian coffee, you might think that every coffee from Ethiopia is guaranteed to be amazing. Many people are involved in processing coffee, and the final product depends on everyone doing their part.
- Farmers: The farmers are responsible for growing, harvesting and processing the coffee beans
- Roasters: Coffee roasters are responsible for selecting, roasting, blending and packaging the coffee beans.
- Baristas: The baristas (including you) are responsible for brewing the coffee.
Ethiopian beans are best roasted to a medium roast to bring out their floral and fruity flavors. The acidity, sweetness, and body of this wine are well-balanced.
Some coffee roasters roast beans lightly to highlight delicate floral notes, which are the first to disappear as beans are roasted.
If you want to get the best Ethiopia coffee beans, look for brands or roasters that sell coffee that has been roasted within the past week. Single origin coffees are only available during certain times of the year.
Yirgacheffe coffee
Not all coffee beans are treated the same in Ethiopia. One growing region of Ethiopia produces coffee that is better than the others.
The Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee is highly recommended because it is simply amazing.
Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee is the most prized coffee in the specialty coffee world for good reason!
Yirgacheffe coffee comes in both natural processed and washed processed forms, grown at elevations exceeding 2,000 meters above the ocean which makes it the best high grown coffee in Africa.
Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee is known for its sweet, floral and exotic taste, which is why it’s so popular among specialty coffee drinkers.
Ethiopian brewing coffee tips
Automatic drip
Since Ethiopian coffee is an African coffee, it is light in body and brighter in acidity. It does best as filter coffee. You will be able to produce a great cup of coffee using an automatic dripper, as long as the coffee is roasted and ground fresh.
The paper filter will bring out the coffee’s flavors, making it the perfect balance of acidity and body.
Pour over
To get the best results, make pour over coffee. Having more control over the brewing process produces a tastier cup of coffee because it prevents the extraction of undesirable flavors.
The most popular method for brewing Ethiopian coffee is the pour-over method. This method produces a clean-tasting cup that lets you truly savor the floral top notes of the beans, especially in Yirgacheffe coffee.
The Chemex coffee maker is known for making coffee with exceptionally clean and well-defined flavor notes. The thick paper filter eliminates much of the coffee’s natural oils, leaving a smooth, rich flavor. If you like your coffee with a natural processing style, then you’ll want to try brewing with a V60 for a cup that’s both sweet and juicy.
Cold brew
Because Ethiopian beans have fruity and floral notes, they make a great iced coffee that is refreshing. Smooth with notes of blueberry or peach? Yes, please. Grind the coffee beans coarsely if you are making cold brew coffee, so you don’t extract too much acidity from the beans.
An iced Ethiopian pour over is a great way to enjoy cold coffee with a little extra pizzazz. The coffee will be more acidic if it is brewed hot over ice.
Espresso
Coffees that feature a darker, heavier bodied shot of espresso are traditionally more popular as the espresso can punch through milk more easily.
However, for a more flavorful latte, many third wave coffee shops have made the switch to a modern espresso shot, with Ethiopian beans being the choice for most. Our top home espresso machines will allow you to create these same drinks in your own home.
The best way to enjoy Ethiopian coffee is by preparing it as a pour-over, drip coffee, espresso, or cold brew. This is because the beans are usually roasted to a light to medium roast, which makes them perfect for these coffee preparation methods. Ethiopian coffee is typically brewed in a standard fashion, without many complicated recipes. This is because the coffee has a light body.
This coffee is light bodied and rich in flavor, making it dynamic for brewing. From pour overs to espresso shots!