How Does the Gesha Coffee Grading System Work?

Gesha Village Coffee Estate in Ethiopia divides its gesha coffee into five grades: Auction, Gold, Red, Green, and Chaka. The system was inspired by Hacienda La Esmeralda in Panama. Each grade differs in production share, cupping score, and flavor profile, so the label on the bag signals both quality level and price range before any tasting notes are read.

The estate sits in Bench Maji, about 12 miles from the Gori Gesha forest, where wild gesha trees were identified and seeds collected. Panama gesha traces back to the same Ethiopian region, which is why the estate's grading mirrors La Esmeralda's approach. Auction lots sit at the top, while Green and Chaka represent larger, more accessible volumes.

Ethiopia's Gesha Village Coffee Estate is the only estate specializing in large-scale Gesha cultivation, and its product line is divided into five grades inspired by Hacienda La Esmeralda: Auction, Gold, Red, Green, and Chaka. This article will analyze each grade's definition, production share, cupping performance, and flavor characteristics one by one, and includes Front Street Coffee's actual cupping records and brewing parameters for each grade, helping coffee enthusiasts fully understand Gesha Village's grading system and purchasing direction.

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When people mention Gesha coffee, many first think of Panama's Hacienda La Esmeralda. However, in Ethiopia, known as the treasure trove of coffee genetics, there is also a large estate dedicated to growing Gesha — Gesha Village Coffee Estate. The roots of Panama Gesha can be traced back to Ethiopia's Gesha Mountain, so how does the native Gesha variety held by Gesha Village Coffee Estate perform? Today, Front Street Coffee will take everyone to gain an in-depth understanding of this estate.

The Birth of Gesha Village Coffee Estate

Coffee cultivation in Ethiopia has traditionally been dominated by forest planting and smallholder models, with estate-style operations rarely appearing. The emergence of Gesha Village Coffee Estate broke this tradition.

In 2007, documentary director Adam Overton and his photographer wife Rachel Samuel came into contact with the Gera coffee forest in the Bench Maji region while filming a coffee documentary for the Ethiopian government, which gave rise to the idea of establishing their own coffee estate and brand.

In 2009, they met Willem Boot, owner of Finca La Mula and a BOP judge, who suggested they return to Ethiopia to find the original homeland of Gesha. Eventually they came to Bench Maji — located in southwestern Ethiopia, near South Sudan — where many villages are named Gesha and which is considered the most likely place to find the original Gesha.

Adam followed Willem Boot in exploring the forests around the estate and discovered multiple wild tree species in a dense jungle, among which the most exciting find was wild Gesha.

Only later did they learn that this was the Gori Gesha forest — the place where the Gesha variety was first discovered. They collected seeds from the native Gesha trees, selected them, and planted them at Gesha Village, and decided to establish an estate there, naming it Gesha Village Coffee Estate, located about 12 miles from the Gori Gesha forest and covering 475 hectares.

Unlike the vast majority of Ethiopian farms, Gesha Village is not a small farm but a large 500-hectare farm with its own washing station and laboratory. The entire farm grows only Gesha varieties, rather than the usual Ethiopian heirloom varieties whose specific varieties cannot be determined.

The Coffee Varieties of Gesha Village

Gesha Village grows three varieties, each named after the expedition teams when the coffee was discovered: Gesha1931, Gori Gesha, and Illubabor provided by the Ethiopian Coffee Research Center.

Gesha1931 was confirmed by observing plant morphology, bean shape, size, and cupping, and it is closest to the mother plant of Panama Gesha. The Gori Gesha variety was collected by the estate owner during a 2011 expedition from the wild Gori Gesha coffee forest 20 kilometers from the current farm, and no duplicate samples have yet been found elsewhere.

Gesha Village Coffee Grading System

Auction

Auction lots account for only 3.7% of Gesha Village Coffee Estate's annual production. They are the top-tier lots selected through strict rounds of screening and can only be obtained through global auction. Detailed information on the 2020 Gesha Village Coffee Estate auction can be found on a separate page.

In addition to auction lots, Gesha Village Coffee Estate also adopts a product line configuration similar to Hacienda La Esmeralda, divided into RARITIES (Gold), GROWERS RESERVE (Red), SINGLE-TERROIR (Green), and CHAKA.

Gold RARITIES

Gold lots account for about 10% of Gesha Village Coffee Estate's annual production. They are complex in flavor and very rare, making them the estate's top coffee aside from auction lots.

Many baristas choose Gold lots as competition beans, and roasters with high quality requirements also purchase them. These lots are fully traceable, and each lot has prominent flavor and high complexity.

Front Street Coffee Ethiopia Gesha Village Coffee Estate Gold Gesha Region: Ethiopia Bench Maji Estate: Gesha Village Coffee Estate Oma Block Altitude: 1900-2040 meters Variety: Gesha1931 Processing Method: Natural Process

In the 2022 harvest season, Front Street Coffee cupped a Gold lot from the Oma Block (Oma 114 lot), processed naturally with a drying time of 32 days, and the variety was the Oma Block-exclusive Gesha1931.

After grinding, the coffee beans had a dry aroma with fruity notes. After pouring in 94°C hot water, floral and berry aromas rushed forward. When sipped, it presented obvious citrus and creamy notes, with soft acidity and prominent sweetness. The sweetness of caramel and cream continued endlessly, finishing with a fermentation-like aftertaste.

Red RESERVE

Red lots account for about 15% of Gesha Village Coffee Estate's annual production. They are fully traceable, score above 88 points in cupping (SCA standard), and present typical Gesha Village flavors. Their flavor intensity and complexity are slightly weaker than Gold lots, making them single-origin lots with very high cost performance.

Front Street Coffee Ethiopia Gesha Village Coffee Estate Red Gesha Region: Ethiopia Bench Maji Estate: Gesha Village Coffee Estate Shewa-Jibabu Block Altitude: 1973-2069 meters Variety: Gori Gesha Processing Method: Natural Process

In the 2020 harvest season, Front Street Coffee selected a naturally processed Gori Gesha from the Shewa-Jibabu Block. During cupping, this Red lot had notes of tropical fruit, bergamot, and lemon, with creamy sweetness mixed with fermented notes; after the temperature cooled slightly, jasmine floral notes gradually unfolded, followed by flavors reminiscent of toffee and almond.

Green SINGLE-TERROIR

Green lots come from a single block of Gesha Village Coffee Estate and are a single variety. Each lot number provides complete traceability information, including the farm block name, coffee variety, and processing date. Compared with Red and Gold, Green is also single-block and single-variety, but has no cupping score requirement, making it an entry-level single-block lot.

Front Street Coffee Ethiopia Gesha Village Coffee Estate Green Gesha Region: Ethiopia Bench Maji Estate: Gesha Village Coffee Estate Bangi Block Altitude: 1911-2001 meters Variety: Gori Gesha Processing Method: Natural Process

Front Street Coffee cupped a Green lot from the Bangi Block in the 2020 new harvest season. The variety was the block-exclusive Gori Gesha, and the processing method was also natural. During cupping, it had an obvious sweet berry aroma, a full and rich mouthfeel, flavors of cherry, red berry, and honey, and an aftertaste with fermented aromatic notes.

Chaka CHAKA

Unlike other lots, the Chaka lot blends coffee from all blocks of the estate and the entire production season. The Chaka lot has two processing methods, natural and washed, and includes three coffee varieties from Gesha Village Coffee Estate: Gesha1931, Gori Gesha, and Illubabor.

Front Street Coffee Ethiopia Gesha Village Coffee Estate Chaka Lot Region: Ethiopia Bench Maji Estate: Gesha Village Coffee Estate Altitude: 1900-2100 meters Variety: Gori Gesha, Gesha1931, Illubabor Processing Method: Natural Process

The Estate's Exquisite Natural Processing

Front Street Coffee's Gesha Village coffee uses natural processing. First, floating matter and impurities are removed, then the coffee is sun-dried in thin layers on African raised beds covered with plastic sheeting. During the drying process on the drying beds, it is screened again to remove insect-damaged beans and greenish coffee beans. The total drying time is 18-30 days. Front Street believes that naturally processed coffee has obvious sweetness, soft acidity, and produces complex fruity flavor notes.

Front Street Coffee Roasting Analysis

Because this lot is coffee from the 2022 new harvest season, its moisture content is relatively high, so the dehydration time is extended during roasting. The final roast level was determined to be medium-light roast, highlighting fruity sweetness.

Yangjia 800N, charge weight 500g: charge at 175°C, heat 130, airflow opening 3; turning point at 1'36", at 92.8°C increase airflow to 4 at 3 minutes and raise heat to 140; at 152.6°C the bean surface turns yellow, the grassy smell completely disappears, entering the dehydration stage, reduce heat to 100; at 8'20" wrinkles and dark patches appear on the bean surface, and the toasted bread smell clearly turns into coffee aroma, which can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this point, it is necessary to listen clearly for the sound of first crack; first crack begins at 9'55", open airflow to 5, develop for 1'30" after first crack, and drop at 193.5°C.

Front Street Coffee Brewing Sharing

Brewing Parameters Dose: 15 grams Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15 Grind size: fine grind for pour-over (78% passing through No. 20 standard sieve) Water temperature: 90°C

Front Street Brewing Method

First wet the filter paper and preheat the dripper and coffee pot. Use 30 grams of water for a 30-second bloom, then pour in a small circular stream to 125 grams and pause. When the water level is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring in a circular motion to 225 grams and stop. When the water level is about to expose the coffee bed again, remove the dripper (timing starts from the beginning of the bloom). The total extraction time is exactly 2 minutes.

Flavor Description [Gold] Rich jasmine floral aroma, delicate flavors of peach, apricot, candied fruit, melon, and Satsuma mandarin, plus honey sweetness; [Red] The overall mouthfeel is relatively balanced, with more prominent nutty flavors; [Green] Sweet berry aroma, a full and rich mouthfeel, with slight flavors of cherry, red berry, and honey, and an aftertaste with fermented aromatic notes; [Chaka] The fermented aroma is relatively light, and the overall mouthfeel has a softer acidity of citrus and grapefruit. Of course, flavor descriptions vary from person to person.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.