Ethiopia - Chelichele

Tastes Like

• Apricot
• Blueberry
• Delicate florals

Information

• Region: Gedeb, Ethiopia
• Varietal: Heirloom
• Processing: Natural
• Elevation: 2,150 - 2,200 mts
• Cup score: 87

Story

This wonderful natural heirloom arrives from the esteemed Gedeb region of Ethiopia, offering a beautiful example of coffees from this area.

Sourced through Falcon, this lot comes from the Chelichele site of Eptah Speciality, owned by Tamiru Amare. Only ripe cherries are hand-picked and carefully floated to remove quakers before being laid out on raised beds to dry for 12-15 days. After drying and resting in storage, the coffee is transported to Moplaco in Gerji, Addis Ababa, and then shipped via rail to Djibouti for export.

Ethiopian coffee production is hugely influenced by the country's three main seasons. The Bega season (October-January) is the long dry period, crucial for coffee harvesting and processing. The Belg season follows during February-May, bringing with it the first rains which are essential for coffee flowering and early fruit development. The Krempt season (June-September) sees heavy rainstorms from the east, crucial for the later stages of coffee fruit development and ripening. By the end of September, the rains cease abruptly, allowing the coffee fruits to ripen, leading to a bustling harvest period by November.

We always expect to enjoy a high-scoring natural Ethiopian, but when we first cupped Chelichele we were really blown away and excited by the intense summer fruit and florals present in the coffee including apricot, blueberry and strawberry.

The hand-painted artwork is an abstract representation of the drying patios used to process the coffee, and reflects the vibrancy of this lot - we hope you enjoy.

Recommended brew method

Roasted for espresso and filter.

Espresso: We suggest starting with 50% ratio for espresso and a 30 seconds extraction at 18gr dose. Adjust to taste.

Filter: Drip coffee machines, pour-over, aeropress. 60gr/l ratio.