What altitude does Ethiopian coffee grow at in Kochere?

Kochere sits in Ethiopia's Gedeo Zone at 1,650 to 1,800 meters, about 25 kilometers southeast of Yirgacheffe, and is one of the three well-known micro-regions of the area. Local smallholders deliver lots to cooperatives for washed processing, producing a clean, bright acidity with jasmine aroma that light roasting preserves.

Ethiopia's main harvest runs through November and December, and most farmers tend trees by hand without insecticides or herbicides, so the coffee is effectively organic whether certified or not. A light-roast profile on a semi-direct-fire roaster, followed by V60 pour-over with adjusted parameters, keeps the floral and citrus notes intact.

The Yirgacheffe Kochere producing area is located on the highlands of the Gedeo Zone in Ethiopia at an altitude of 1,650 to 1,800 meters, and is one of the three well-known micro-regions of Yirgacheffe. Local smallholders deliver coffee lots to cooperatives for centralized processing, mainly washed, and the output is known for its clean, bright acidity and jasmine aroma. Starting from the producing area background, the differences between washed and natural processing, the appearance comparison of green and roasted beans, and the differences in cupping flavor, this article records in detail the light-roast profile of the Yangjia 600g semi-direct-fire roaster, and shares the two brewing parameters and taste correction process for V60 pour-over, providing coffee lovers with a complete guide to tasting and brewing Kochere G1.

ETHIOPIA, YIRGACHEFFE, KOCHERE

After Ethiopia redrew its administrative regions in 1995, the well-known Yirgacheffe was placed under the Gedeo Zone in the new SNNPR. Today Yirgacheffe is located in central Gedeo, and from Kochere northward about 25 miles reaches the famous town of Yirgacheffe. The local production method is mainly smallholder farmers sending harvested lots to cooperatives for centralized processing. This land has long been regarded as one of the finest coffee sources in southern Ethiopia. Ethiopia has eight major coffee producing regions: Nekempte(Lekempti) Gimbi, Limu, Illubabor, Djimma, Harrar, Teppi/Bebeka, Sidamo, and Yirgacheffe.

Producing Area

Kochere is situated on a highland area at an altitude of 1,650 to 1,800 meters, about 25 kilometers southeast of Yirgacheffe. It is a small producing area made wealthy by coffee, and is also one of the three famous micro-regions of Yirgacheffe. The local population is about 100,000, coffee beans are their main source of income, and the processing equipment in this producing area is quite advanced.

Ethiopia's main harvest season is concentrated in November and December. Most farmers do not adopt modern farming methods, but rely on manual care of the coffee trees, using neither harmful insecticides nor herbicides. Because of this, Ethiopian coffee can almost all be regarded as organic by default, whether certified or not. The原始 growing methods combined with meticulous processing have made coffee from this region world-famous. The owner of Neko Farm once said: This time, because time was too tight to prepare, but next harvest season we will apply for RFA organic certification.

Washed processing consumes more resources (especially water) than natural processing, so the quality of washed green coffee beans is usually higher. The coffee beans are spread flat on drying tables for drying, which ensures good ventilation; at the same time, to prevent excessive fermentation, workers turn the beans regularly.

Washed processing can bring brighter acidity than natural processing, which also gives Yirgacheffe its "clean" flavor. We prefer washed Yirgacheffe precisely because it is clearer.

What is the difference between washed and natural Yirgacheffe?

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. Processing methods are divided into two types: "natural method" and "washed method," and these two methods create different flavors.

Natural method beans have complete natural body, gentle aroma, and more mucilage; washed method beans have good body, high aroma, and lively acidity.

Natural/Dried-in-the-Fruit:

After the fruit is picked, it enters the sun-drying process directly without processing. This is the oldest processing method still in existence. 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 the local climate to be extremely dry. In some regions, people use dryers to assist the drying process of the coffee fruit (the hot air from the dryer can accelerate drying and help people control the degree of drying).

Fully Washed:

Use washing and fermentation methods to remove the skin, pulp, and mucilage. Farms using the washed method must build washing tanks and be able to introduce a continuous supply of fresh water. During processing, the fermented beans are placed in the tank and moved back and forth, using the friction of the beans and the force of flowing water to wash the coffee beans until they are smooth and clean.

After washing, the coffee beans are still wrapped in the parchment layer, 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 excellent and quite popular.

Difference Two:

Coffee Bean Appearance

Green beans: generally washed green beans are blue-green, and natural green beans are yellow-green

Roasted beans: washed Yirgacheffe has more silver skin, natural Yirgacheffe has less silver skin

Differences in dry aroma:

Cupping: [According to the ratio of 8 grams of grounds to 150 milliliters of 94-degree hot water in a cup, let the coffee steep for 3-4 minutes until a crust forms]

Natural Yirgacheffe: light fermented wine aroma, spice aroma

Washed Yirgacheffe: jasmine aroma, lemon or lime acidity

Differences in taste:

Natural Yirgacheffe: Natural is a bit complex, with light fermented wine aroma, heavier bitter roasted notes, a much richer mouthfeel, honey sweetness, cocoa notes with some spice, thick body and long-lasting finish.

Washed Yirgacheffe: The acidity of washed processing is brighter, like citric acid, the taste is more refreshing, citrus aroma is more obvious, and the latter part has some black tea feel.

Similarities: Both have fruity acidity, similar to fruits such as lemon and citrus

Producing Area

Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Kochere

Grade: G1

Variety:

Growing altitude: 1,650 meters~1,800 meters

Processing method: washed

Flavor Characteristics

Fruity, Fresh Jasmine Aroma, Berries, Citric Acidic, Pineapple, Apple, Smooth, Clean, Long Aftertaste

Roast Analysis

Light roasting makes the fruity aroma of Yirgacheffe grown in the tropics more obvious and rich. The first sip is slightly acidic, namely the acidity of apples, and this acidity instead makes the coffee seem fuller, with the bitterness becoming aromatic and worth savoring. In itself, coffee is a fruit, and being able to retain the sweet-sour fruit flavor after high-temperature roasting is exactly the characteristic of Yirgacheffe.

Roaster Yangjia 600g semi-direct fire

Using a fast-roast mode, charge when the drum temperature reaches 200°C, set the damper to 3, after 1 minute adjust the heat to 160°C, keep the damper unchanged, roast until 4'50", at 150°C, the bean surface turns yellow, the grassy smell completely disappears, dehydration is complete, adjust the heat to 130°C, open the damper to 4;

At the 8th minute, ugly wrinkles and dark patches appear on the bean surface, and the toast smell clearly turns into coffee aroma, which can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this time, listen carefully to the sound of the first crack point. At 8'20" first crack begins, reduce the heat to 70°C, open the damper fully (adjusting the heat must be very careful, not so low that there is no cracking sound), and drop at 192°C.

This batch is a fast-roasted light roast:

Brewing Analysis

First brewing: V60 dripper, 15 grams of grounds, water temperature 90°C, grind size 4, water-to-coffee ratio close to 1:16

Bloom with 35 grams of water, bloom time 35s

Stages: pour water to 110ml and pause, then slowly pour water to 230ml

Taste: a bit light

Correction method one for pour-over coffee tasting too light:

Keep everything else unchanged, just make your grind size finer , which increases the number of water-absorbing particles and also retains hot water longer, so the coffee concentration naturally increases.

Keep everything else unchanged, try increasing your coffee grounds by 3~5 grams (at the same grind size as before), which can increase the thickness of the coffee bed and strengthen its water absorption, and the concentration can also be increased.

Second brewing (corrected): V60 dripper, 15 grams of grounds, water temperature 88.9°C, grind size 3.5,

Water-to-coffee ratio close to 1:15

Bloom with 35 grams of water, bloom time 32s

Stages: pour water to 110ml and pause, then slowly pour water to 228ml

Taste: smooth, the flavor is much fuller

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