How Does Coffee Bean Processing Separate Yirgacheffe and Sidamo?
Yirgacheffe and Sidamo both sit in Ethiopia's specialty coffee landscape, but altitude, microclimate and coffee bean processing pull their flavors apart. Yirgacheffe grows around 1,700 to 2,100 meters, one of the highest coffee areas anywhere, and its cup shows layered floral and fruity aromas. Sidamo lies at the southern end of the Ethiopian highlands nearby.
The comparison follows geography, history, green bean grading, washed and natural coffee beans process methods, roast curves and brewing parameters. Washed lots lean toward citrus and floral clarity, while natural lots push toward fermented fruit and wine-like notes. Front Street Yirgacheffe Cherry Red G1 and Front Street Sidamo Shakisso are used to illustrate how those processing choices reach the cup.
Yirgacheffe and Sidamo both belong to Ethiopia's specialty coffee landscape, yet each has its own character due to differences in altitude, microclimate, and processing methods. This article systematically sorts out the flavor characteristics and differences of the two major regions from producing area geography, historical origins, green bean grading, natural and washed processing techniques, roasting curves to brewing parameters, and deeply introduces the complete performance of Front Street Yirgacheffe Cherry Red G1 and Front Street Sidamo Shakisso, helping coffee lovers understand the causes behind citrus floral aromas and fermented fruit wine aromas.
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ETHIOPIA, YIRGACHEFFE, Cherry Red
Front Street Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Cherry Red G1
01 | Producing Area Introduction
Unique Geographical Environment
Yirga cheffe is located in Ethiopia, a small town at an altitude between 1700 and 2100 meters, and is also one of the highest coffee-growing regions in the world, almost becoming a calling card of Ethiopian specialty coffee. Lake Turkana, Lake Abaya, and Lake Chamo together deliver abundant moisture to this land. The rift valley area centered on the Misty Valley is shrouded in clouds and mist all year round, with pleasant temperatures, constant gentle breezes, and a coexistence of coolness and humidity. Thousands upon thousands of coffee trees grow luxuriantly here, ultimately achieving the unique regional flavor of Front Street Yirgacheffe, in which floral and fruity aromas intertwine and change endlessly.
The Historical Origins of Ethiopian Yirgacheffe
In the earliest times, the coffee trees of Yirgacheffe were planted by European monastery scholars (similar to the practice of Belgian monks growing wheat to brew beer), and only later were they managed by farmers or cooperatives. Coffee trees were scattered randomly in forests, fields, and backyards. Every harvest season, the Ethiopian coffee trading company would go to the town to purchase coffee beans from farmers, and finally auction and export them under the brand name "Yirgacheffe."
Sidamo, on the other hand, grows at the southernmost end of the Ethiopian highlands, at an altitude between 4,600 and 7,200 feet (Sidamo Province). It is a famous specialty coffee producing area in southern Ethiopia, adjacent to Kenya, located southeast of Jimma and directly south of the capital. Coffee from this region usually has prominent sweetness and is favored by many people, with an annual output of about 225,000 bags (60 kg per bag). The beans are slightly smaller than Longberry and tend toward green with a grayish hue. In Sidamo's natural drying yards, coffee is placed on hemp-net wooden racks, and workers take turns turning and stirring it in the sun. Most natural Sidamo is exported as G4, while washed Sidamo, because its processing is more refined and complete, is usually exported mostly as G2.
The coffee flavors of Ethiopian Sidamo are extremely diverse. Different soil types, microclimates, and countless native coffee varieties, combined with the interlaced distribution of towering mountains, highlands, plateaus, valleys, and plains within the producing area, create rich topographical variation. The geology here belongs to nutrient-rich, well-drained volcanic soil, with a soil layer nearly two meters deep, and the surface soil is dark brown or brown. The greatest advantage here is that soil fertility is maintained through the cycling of organic matter, with fallen leaves from surrounding trees or residual plant roots naturally serving as fertilizer. Therefore, coffees produced in different towns show obvious differences and characteristics. Between 2010 and 2012, this producing area continuously received high scores of 92 to 94 from the authoritative American coffee evaluation website CR, fully demonstrating the extraordinary quality of its green beans.
Front Street Ethiopian Sidamo green beans are slightly gray, with some particles coarse and some small. The acidity can be soft or intense, the body can be heavy or light, and it combines sweetness with spice. It is one of the garden coffees of the southern Ethiopian highlands. Unlike ordinary African coffee, Front Street Ethiopian Sidamo has clear fruity acidity, a smooth mouthfeel, and exudes delicate floral and herbal aromas.
About Ethiopia's natural method (raised-bed sun-drying method):
In the past, Ethiopia's natural method was to spread wild-picked coffee cherries directly on mud ground for sun exposure. This practice had two drawbacks:
1. After picking, the beans were not specially screened and processed, so their appearance was uneven and their ripeness mixed. The process was relatively rough, resulting in unstable coffee bean quality and easy mixing with defective beans.
2. Coffee farmers usually handled the beans directly on a piece of open ground near their homes, and the ground often contained impurities or dirt, making the coffee prone to absorbing off-flavors.
The improved natural method adjusted the two shortcomings of the traditional method:
1. During picking, only fully ripe dark red coffee cherries were selected, and defective screening was first carried out at the processing plant before sun exposure, making bean size and ripeness more consistent.
2. Then raised wooden frames or entire drying racks were used for sun exposure, avoiding contact between the beans and the ground and preventing the absorption of off-flavors. During the sun-drying process, careful attention was required to let the coffee beans lose moisture evenly; every three to five days, workers manually removed moldy and defective beans. Therefore, by the time sun exposure ended and the beans were brought in to remove the peel and pulp, a batch of brilliantly deep-red sun-dried coffee cherries had already reached a grade with very few defects.
After obtaining the green coffee beans, sometimes a final screening was done in pursuit of perfect flavor, so this Front Street natural Sidamo can reach the highest grade G1.
Producing Area Introduction:
Shakisso is located in southern Guji and Oromia, close to Sidama and Gedeo. This area has many mine pits left from early gold mining, so this coffee-growing area is covered with pits, and walking among the coffee-growing areas is full of danger. Shakisso is a unique producing area in Guji/Sidamo. Even within Sidamo, it belongs to a remote area far from most coffee-producing locations. Another famous local product is gold mines. Factors such as miners, land, and ethnicity also made the region unstable in 2006. Therefore, the biggest problem currently facing this area is the need for manpower to maintain the growing areas and harvest coffee. Local smallholders began growing organic coffee in 2001 and work closely with medium-sized coffee producers because they are familiar with how to grow forest coffee in the highlands.
The coffee of Front Street Sidamo Shakisso (Shakisso/Shakiso) has quite a unique character, and its coffee has repeatedly attracted market attention. Ninety Plus's legendary bean (nekisse) originally means Nectar from shakisso, and both its producing area and name come from Shakisso.
Product Name: Front Street Ethiopia Sidamo Natural Shakisso
Ethiopian Sidamo Shakisso Natural
Country: Ethiopia
Producing Area: Shakisso Producing Area, Guji Zone
Altitude: 1800-2000
Processing Method: Raised-bed Natural
Variety: Local Heirloom
Producer: Local Smallholders
Flavor: Lemon, Mango, Blueberry, Wine Aroma
About OPERATION CHERRY RED
When "Operation Cherry Red" is mentioned, many friends are familiar with the name. But when it comes to exactly what kind of project Operation Cherry Red is, perhaps only a few people can explain it clearly.
In order to enable Ethiopian coffee farmers to obtain better income and improve local people's living standards, in 2007 the Dutch trader Trabocca and farmers in the producing areas jointly launched the "OPERATION CHERRY RED PROJECT," purely to encourage farmers to improve coffee bean quality. At the start of the harvest season in the producing areas, Trabocca would designate harvest plans for microclimatic zones, manually harvesting 100% ripe red coffee cherries, with output of about 1,500 kg to 3,000 kg.
The Operation Cherry Red project invested US$5,000 in 2008 to purchase new sun-drying racks, another US$8,000 in 2009 to purchase new sun-drying racks and shade nets, US$9,000 in 2010 to invest in a generator, and continued to invest US$10,000 in 2011 to improve some local coffee transport roads, making coffee transport more convenient and efficient. Trabocca provided interest-free loans for purchasing new coffee cherry pulpers and coffee bean sorting machines. To facilitate supplier purchasing, in 2012 it also invested US$14,000 to build a high-quality Addis Ababa coffee cupping laboratory.
Trabocca provided financial loan support, new hardware equipment, and production-processing knowledge and technology to help farmers raise production levels, and promised that as long as the actual output quality reached cupping standards in the Addis Ababa and Amsterdam cupping rooms, it would purchase at a generous price. Trabocca's passing standard was 88 points.
After the coffee beans of Operation Cherry Red completed processing at the producing area, they were immediately packed in plastic inner bags (GrainPro bags in separate packaging or vacuum boxes in separate packaging), then transported to Djibouti to await shipping. Through real-time monitoring, safe transportation, and timely and appropriate handling methods, it strives for perfect quality. Roasters can also buy excellent-quality coffee beans because of Operation Cherry Red, while Ethiopian coffee quality is improved and better prices are obtained. Trabocca can then return profits to farmers, continuously improve, and keep enhancing quality.
02 | Processing Method
This Front Street Ethiopian Yirgacheffe natural-processed coffee has slightly larger particles and slightly lower density and moisture content. Every coffee from this processing plant can be considered a high-quality finely processed coffee, and its exhibited characteristics are superior to other coffees. Regardless of which processing method is used, the coffee beans here can be considered the best coffee in the Yirgacheffe region.
After the processing plant screens the usable coffee cherries, the coffee cherries with the whole pulp and skin completely retained are placed on raised racks for sun-drying. It is precisely this raised drying method, which requires intensive manual labor, that isolates the beans from contact with the ground and prevents earthy off-flavors during sun drying, creating an exceptionally clean fruit flavor. After more than two weeks of sun drying, the dark brown coffee fruit is professionally stored, waiting for the entire flavor to mature. Only before shipment does the processing plant remove the coffee beans from the coffee cherries, and the sweetness can be imagined.
03 | Green Bean Analysis
About Yirgacheffe Grading
According to different green coffee bean processing methods, Yirgacheffe can be divided into two major categories:
Category A is the washed processing method, with grading standards established by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), divided into Gr-1 and Gr-2. The smaller the Arabic numeral, the higher the grade. Front Street Yirgacheffe G1 has a distinctive style; the flavor of citrus and floral notes fused into the coffee liquid is a deliciousness no one can resist.
Category B is green coffee beans processed by the natural method, graded as Gr-1, Gr-3, Gr-4, and Gr-5. Likewise, the highest grade G1 natural Yirgacheffe has a rich fruity aroma. Opening a bag of freshly roasted Front Street Natural Yirgacheffe G1 coffee can overturn everyone's original understanding of coffee. Only those who have tasted the highest-grade Front Street Natural Yirgacheffe will believe that coffee is a fruit.
Difference One
Two Different Green Bean Processing Methods:
After harvesting, coffee beans must immediately enter the processing procedure, otherwise they will begin to ferment and cause off-flavors in the coffee beans. There are two processing methods: "natural method" and "washed method." These two methods create different flavors.
Beans processed by the natural method have complete natural body, gentle aroma, and more mucilage; the washed method has good body, high aroma, and lively acidity.
Natural/Dried-in-the-Fruit:
After the fruit is picked, it begins the sun-drying process without processing. This is the oldest existing processing method. The drying process usually lasts about 4 weeks. The processing method must be very rigorous to ensure the coffee does not lose any flavor. The natural sun-drying method requires an extremely dry local climate. In some areas, people use dryers to assist the coffee fruit drying process (hot air from the dryer can accelerate drying and help control the degree of drying).
Washed:
Washing and fermentation are used to remove the peel, pulp, and mucilage. Farms using the washed method must build washing pools and be able to introduce a continuous supply of fresh water. During processing, the fermented beans are placed in the pool and moved back and forth, using friction between the beans and the force of flowing water to wash the coffee beans until smooth and clean.
After washing, the coffee beans are still wrapped in the endocarp, with a moisture content of 50%, and must be dried to reduce the moisture content to 12%; otherwise, they will continue to ferment and become moldy and spoiled.
A better processing method is to use sunlight drying. Although it takes 1 to 3 weeks, the flavor is especially good and quite popular.
Difference Two:
Coffee Bean Appearance
Green beans: generally washed green beans are blue-green, natural green beans are yellow-green
Roasted beans: Front Street washed Yirgacheffe has more silver skin, Front Street natural Yirgacheffe has less silver skin
Difference Three: Difference in Mouthfeel
Difference in Dry Aroma:
Cupping: [Use a ratio of 8 grams of powder to 150 ml of 94°C hot water in a cup, and let the coffee steep for 3-4 minutes until a coffee crust forms]
Front Street Natural Yirgacheffe: Light fermented wine aroma, spice aroma
Front Street Washed Yirgacheffe: Jasmine floral aroma, lemon or lime acidity
Difference in Mouthfeel:
Front Street Natural Yirgacheffe: The natural process is a bit complex, with light fermented wine aroma, a heavier bitter-roasted note, and a much richer mouthfeel, with honey sweetness and cocoa undertones carrying a bit of spice, a thick body, and a long finish.
Front Street Washed Yirgacheffe: The acidity of the washed process is brighter, like citric acid, with a fresher mouthfeel, more obvious citrus aroma, and some black tea sensation in the aftertaste.
Same: Both have fruity acidity, similar to lemon and citrus fruits
Exported in ordinary gunny sack packaging, with Trabocca printed and dyed on the sack
The green bean variety of Front Street Ethiopian Yirgacheffe is a local native variety, a small-particle type, relatively round in appearance, with very small beans, mostly between screen sizes 14-15
Front Street Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Cherry Red G1 (Yirgacheffe Cherry Red Grade 1—) green beans are yellow-green in color, the typical color of natural coffee, with uniform and plump particles and few defective beans
04 | Roasting Analysis
Beans with such a brilliant flavor are of course not suitable for medium-dark roasting, so this Front Street Yirgacheffe coffee is intended to use a light slow-roasting method, which can best reflect its round and sweet characteristics and rich floral and fruity aroma.
This Front Street Yirgacheffe Cherry Red coffee has relatively small particles and moisture content, absorbs a relatively large amount of heat during roasting, and the Maillard reaction process is also relatively fast.
In the first roast, I dropped the beans at a relatively high temperature. Before the coffee beans dehydrated and turned yellow, I used 160 heat power to ensure there was enough heat to continue to first crack, directly developing to second crack, and to confirm the development curve.
In the second, third, and fourth roasts, the same bean drop temperature of 200 and the same heat power were used, gradually reducing the heat power as needed during the roasting process.
This batch was a fast-roasted light roast:
Cupping:
Roast one: strawberry , raspberry, vanilla, honeydew, juicy
Roast Curve 2: Strawberry, raspberry, vanilla, honey, fruit juice
Roast two: manguo, black brin , , citrus juicy
Roast Curve 3: Mango, black plum, blueberry, citrus juice
Roast three : citrus juicy , cream
Roast Curve 3: Citrus juice, cream
Roasting Machine: Yangjia 600g Semi-Direct Fire
Using fast-roasting mode, charge when the drum temperature reaches 200°C, set the damper to 3.5, adjust the heat power to 160°C after 1 minute, keep the damper unchanged, adjust the heat power once at 148°C, lower it to 130°C, roast until 5'03", at 151°C, when the bean surface turns yellow, the grassy smell completely disappears, dehydration is complete, adjust the heat power to 105°C, open the damper to 4;
At the 8th minute, ugly wrinkles and dark streaks appear on the bean surface, and the toast aroma clearly turns into coffee aroma, which can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this time, listen clearly for the sound of the first crack point. At 9'07", first crack begins. Reduce the heat power to 70°C, open the damper fully (adjust the heat power very carefully, not so low that there is no cracking sound), and drop the beans at 194°C.
The dry aroma of Front Street Yirgacheffe Cherry Red exudes a strong fruit fragrance, with a heavy dried-fruit note and aromas of strawberry, mango, and apricot jam.
The wet aroma is like sweet syrup, like thick apricot pulp, wrapped in rustic honey or chocolate. On the palate it is not intense, with medium body, and the acidity is not obvious but lively and bright, like fruit black tea.
04 | Brewing Analysis
The Flavor of Front Street Ethiopian Yirgacheffe
Brewing Method
As for the brewing method, pour-over and siphon are the best. When grinding the beans, you can already smell the pungent natural fruity aroma, with obvious sweetness.
Gentle and graceful, sweet and lovely. Front Street Yirgacheffe coffee exudes an extremely complex aroma and displays an exceptionally outstanding mouthfeel that is hard to describe.
First Brew: V60 dripper, 15 g powder, water temperature 90°C, grind setting 4, water-to-coffee ratio close to 1:15
31 g water for blooming, blooming time 29 s
Stages: pour to 99 ml and stop, then slowly pour to 230 ml
That is, 31-99-100
Mouthfeel: Obvious strawberry acidity, astringent in the finish, with off-flavors
Adjust grind setting 4 -- 3.5 (finer), lower water temperature
Second Brew (Revised): V60 dripper, 15 g powder, water temperature 86°C, grind setting 3.5,
Water-to-coffee ratio close to 1:15
27 g water for blooming, blooming time 28 s
Stages: 27-105-88, time 1:50 (start timing at blooming)
Mouthfeel: Smooth, much richer flavor, with layers, and enhanced fermented berry sweetness
The wet aroma of the final cup has a ripe berry fermented fruit wine note that makes it hard to believe this is Front Street Yirgacheffe, but I personally do not like this wet aroma very much. However, from the extremely smooth entry to the delicate body, the surge of ripe fruit sweet acidity is truly stunning, and the sweetness exceeds any Yirgacheffe I have drunk before. The finish is also quite good. It truly deserves to be called a "fruit bomb," and after drinking it, you can basically be assured that sweetness will remain in your mouth for half an hour.
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The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
