Is Huakui an arabica variety and how is it processed?

Huakui is an Arabica variety from the Sidamo region of Ethiopia. It belongs to the local heirloom group rather than a single named line, and it is processed naturally, meaning the whole cherry is dried in the sun before the seed is removed. The result is the intense floral and fruity aroma the coffee is known for.

Ethiopia keeps tens of thousands of Arabica heirloom varieties, and the government does not disclose specific lines, so the coffee is simply labeled heirloom. Smallholder farmers grow individual plots, and processing stations buy and process the cherries centrally. Roughly 70 percent of Ethiopian coffee undergoes natural coffee processing, the country's most traditional green coffee method.

Huakui is an Ethiopian natural-process coffee that has attracted much attention in recent years, known for its intense floral and fruity aroma. Is it actually Arabica? And how are Sidamo, Guji, and Hambela related as producing regions? This article will sort out Huakui's variety classification, natural-process characteristics, and regional background, and share the specific parameters and operating details for making cold brew with Huakui 8.0 at Front Street Coffee, helping coffee lovers easily recreate a cup of full-flavored cold brew Huakui in their own kitchen.

Huakui coffee is an Arabica variety that has risen rapidly in popularity in recent years. It comes from the Sidamo region of Ethiopia in Africa, belongs to the local heirloom varieties, and is a natural-process bean known for its intense floral and fruity aroma. Front Street Coffee chooses a medium-light roast when roasting its own Huakui, with the aim of preserving as much floral aroma and fruity acidity as possible and making the flavor expression fuller.

Do heirloom varieties count as Arabica?

Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee and preserves tens of thousands of Arabica heirloom varieties within its borders, making it a natural coffee gene bank. Local coffee is mainly grown by smallholder farmers, basically with each coffee farmer cultivating their own plots. When the harvest season arrives, processing stations purchase coffee cherries from surrounding farmers and then process them centrally.

Because the varieties themselves are extremely diverse, identification is very difficult. In addition, for protection reasons, the Ethiopian government is unwilling to disclose specific lines, so these coffees are collectively called "heirloom/Heirloom." As an agricultural crop, coffee's flavor cannot be separated from the innate conditions of variety and terroir. Front Street believes that the reason Ethiopian coffee has alluring aromas and fruit-toned character is largely due to the local superior growing environment and the excellent quality of the heirloom varieties.

What is natural-process coffee?

Natural processing is one of Ethiopia's most traditional methods of green coffee processing. After the coffee fruit is picked, it is placed directly in the sun to dry. This is especially common in areas with ample sunlight or scarce water resources. Nearly 70% of coffee in Ethiopia is natural-processed. Front Street believes that compared with washed coffee, natural-process beans have lower acidity, higher sweetness, and a clear mouthfeel, but slightly weaker cleanliness. In flavor, they show more berry notes and greater complexity. The classic Sidamo flavor is precisely known for the rich, full-bodied character of natural-process coffee, with complex sweetness, a viscous and smooth texture, interwoven spice, floral, and fruity aromas, accompanied by a bright lingering sweetness.

Compared with washed processing, natural processing involves a longer fermentation time, and the reaction between microorganisms and fruit pulp is also more complete. During fruit fermentation, microorganisms produce more volatile compounds, especially esters. Although most sugars are destroyed during the roasting stage, these compounds can be transformed into other forms of aromatic substances through caramelization reactions. It is precisely these aromatic substances that give roasted coffee more floral and tropical fruit fermentation aromas, such as furan compounds, making the flavor range of natural coffee broader and making it taste sweeter. The Sidamo Huakui 8.0 coffee beans on Front Street's bean list are also selected from a natural batch, from Hambela.

Huakui is also called "Hambela" coffee

After reviewing materials, Front Street learned that Hambela is located at the border of the Sidamo and Guji producing regions, is managed under the Guji producing region, and faces Yirgacheffe's Kochere across the mountains. The mountain area in between reaches an altitude of 3,200 meters, making it the highest-altitude sub-region in Ethiopia. It should be noted that the Guji producing region was once part of Sidamo. In 2010, because of the outstanding flavor of its coffee beans, it was separated into a new producing region by the Ethiopia Commodity Exchange (ECX).

The terrain and landforms here are diverse, and the soil is fertile black soil that can reach a depth of two meters, allowing plant roots to grow deeper. The average altitude is above 1,800 meters, and the temperature difference between day and night is relatively large. These are favorable conditions for Guji to produce high-quality coffee. Coffee cultivation requires almost no chemical fertilizer. Fallen leaves, decaying matter, residual plant roots around the trees, and soil organic matter can provide sufficient nutrients, enabling coffee trees to grow vigorously.

At present, the two producing regions of Sidamo and Guji still often appear at the same time, which is mainly related to Ethiopia's administrative divisions. Administrative divisions are divided into four levels, from largest to smallest: Region, Zone, woreda, kebele. Most green coffee bean names are also named according to this rule. Taking Huakui as an example, it is located southeast of Yirgacheffe in the Sidamo producing region. Administratively, it belongs to Oromia Region → Guji Zone → Shakisso woreda → Hambella.

This coffee, Huakui, began to appear on the market after DW Company sent it to that year's TOH (Ethiopia National Taste of Harvest competition) in 2017 and it won the championship. Huakui is written in English as Hambella, which is the name of the Hambela producing area. Huakui coffee comes from the Buku Abel processing plant in Guji and is a natural-process bean. This processing plant purchases coffee cherries from different areas near the farm for processing and sale.

Every year during the coffee harvest season (December to January), the Buku processing plant organizes farmers to pick fully red coffee cherries, and the brix value must reach 30 or above. After screening, the fruit is placed on African raised beds to dry. The local temperature difference between day and night is extremely large. Coffee farmers will shade the sunlight at noon to avoid excessive fermentation caused by excessively high temperatures; at night, they use plastic sheeting to wrap them to prevent sudden rain. They turn them continuously throughout the day so the fruit dries evenly and to prevent sunburn or unpleasant fermentation flavors. After about 18 days of sun drying, when the moisture content of the green coffee beans drops to 13%, they can be hulled by machine.

Front Street hopes to present Huakui's full fruity flavor, so it uses a medium-light roast. Through cupping, the dry aroma of natural Sidamo Huakui has nuts, honey, berries, and a faint fermentation aroma. On the palate, it is full-bodied sweet and sour like passion fruit, cream, and strawberry, with a thick body and a cocoa finish.

How do you make cold brew with Sidamo Huakui coffee?

Compared with other freshly ground coffee, cold brew only requires grinding coffee and adding water the night before to soak, then sealing it and putting it in the refrigerator. The next day, remove the filter core, and the coffee can be poured into a cup and taken to work. It is one of the most time-saving and labor-saving home coffees, and it can also easily recreate the same version sold in shops. Second, using coffee beans you like will also bring a different flavor through low-temperature cold extraction. Below, Front Street uses today's protagonist, Huakui, as an example to demonstrate the specific steps.

Coffee beans: Sidamo·Huakui 8.0

Dose: 50 grams Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:12 (600 ml room-temperature water) Grind size: fine granulated sugar (sift with a No. 20 sieve to 80%)

Steeping time: 8–12 hours

The method is very simple: first pour the ground coffee into the built-in filter of the cold brew pot, then add room-temperature drinking water. Next, tighten the lid and refrigerate for 8 hours (note: refrigerate, not freeze). After steeping, take out the coffee and filter out the grounds using a dripper and filter paper for a cleaner mouthfeel. For the cold brew regularly sold in stores, Front Street seals and refrigerates it for 3–4 hours after filtering before selling, which makes the coffee's fermentation flavor richer.

Drink the prepared Huakui cold brew directly, and it has an intense dark berry and black tea aroma, with a clean, refreshing, and solid mouthfeel. Front Street will add 1–2 ice cubes, which can slightly dilute the strength and also bring a chilled coolness, making the coffee more like a refreshing fruit tea. Generally speaking, for reasons of flavor experience and health and safety, for all low-temperature extraction methods such as ice drip, cold brew, and cold steep, Front Street recommends finishing the coffee within 5 days from the date of making.

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