How Does Coffee Green Bean Grading Differ in Yirgacheffe and Sidamo?
Yirgacheffe and Sidamo are both Ethiopian specialty coffee regions, but they produce different cup profiles. Yirgacheffe sits at 1,700 to 2,100 meters in the Misty Valley area, where fog and moisture from three lakes shape floral and fruity aromas. Sidamo grows further south at roughly 4,600 to 7,200 feet, near Kenya, and typically shows clear sweetness.
The coffee bean process explains much of the gap. Yirgacheffe lots are often sorted by grade, and Operation Cherry Red selects ripe cherries for cleaner fruit flavors. Washed processing lifts acidity and clarity, while natural processing adds berry and ferment notes. Roasting and brewing parameters then decide how much of each regional character reaches the cup.
Yirgacheffe and Sidamo are both representatives of Ethiopian specialty coffee, yet they present completely different flavor profiles due to differences in terroir and processing methods. This article systematically sorts out the core characteristics of the two major producing regions from regional geography, historical origins, green bean grading, processing techniques to roasting and brewing, and deeply analyzes the impact of natural and washed processing methods on coffee taste. The article also introduces the operating mechanism of Operation Cherry Red, as well as the roasting and brewing parameters of Front Street Coffee's recommended Yirgacheffe Cherry Red G1, providing coffee enthusiasts with a complete flavor cognition framework.
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ETHIOPIA, YIRGACHEFFE, Cherry Red
Yirgacheffe Cherry Red G1
01 | Producing Region Introduction
Unique Geographical Environment
Yirgacheffe is a small town in Ethiopia, with an altitude of 1700-2100 meters. It is one of the highest coffee producing regions in the world and also synonymous with Ethiopian specialty coffee. Lake Turkana, Lake Abaya, and Lake Chamo bring abundant moisture to this area. In the Rift Valley represented by the Misty Valley, fog lingers year-round, with spring-like weather in all four seasons, gentle breezes, and a cool and humid climate. Thousands of coffee trees thrive and multiply here, nurturing Yirgacheffe's unique terroir with its ambiguous interweaving of floral and fruity aromas and unpredictable character.
The Historical Origins of Yirgacheffe
Originally, the coffee trees of Yirgacheffe were planted by European monastery monks (somewhat like Belgian monks growing wheat to brew beer), and later this was taken over by farmers or cooperatives. Coffee trees are naturally scattered in forests, fields, and backyards. During the harvest season, the Ethiopian Coffee Trading Company would go to the town to purchase coffee beans collected by farmers, and eventually auction and export them under the brand name "Yirgacheffe."
Sidamo grows in the southernmost Ethiopian highlands at an altitude of 4600-7200 feet (Sidamo Province). It is a famous specialty coffee region in southern Ethiopia, bordering Kenya, located southeast of Jima and directly south of the capital. It usually has obvious sweetness and is favored by most people. Its annual output is approximately 225,000 bags/60kg. The beans are somewhat smaller than Longberry, green with a grayish tint. At the natural drying yards in Sidamo, coffee is placed on hemp-net wooden racks, and workers take turns manually stirring the coffee under the sun's exposure. Natural Sidamo is usually exported mostly as G4, while washed Sidamo, because its processing is more complete than natural, is mostly exported as G2.
The coffee flavors of Sidamo are very diverse. Different soil types, microclimates, and countless native coffee varieties, towering mountain ranges, highlands, plateaus, valleys, and plains within the producing region create diverse topography. The geology of this area consists of fertile, well-drained volcanic soil, with soil depth approaching two meters, and the topsoil appearing dark brown or brown. The greatest advantage of this area is that soil fertility is maintained through the cycle of organic matter, using fallen leaves from surrounding trees or residual plant roots as fertilizer. This has created obvious differences and characteristics in the coffee produced by different towns. In 2010-2012, it continuously received high scores of 92-94 from the authoritative American coffee evaluation website CR. This shows the extraordinary quality of green beans from this producing region.
Sidamo coffee green beans are slightly gray, coarse in some places and fine in others, with acidity that is both soft and intense, body that is balanced in strength, and a sweet and spicy aroma. It is one of the garden coffees of the southern Ethiopian highlands. What distinguishes it from general African coffee is that Sidamo has clear fruity acidity, a smooth mouthfeel, and delicate floral and herbal aromas.
About Ethiopia's natural method (raised-bed natural drying method):
In the past, Ethiopia's natural method involved directly spreading wild-picked coffee cherries on the mud ground for sun drying. This drying method had two disadvantages:
1. After picking, the beans were not specially screened and processed. Uneven appearance and ripeness levels were all mixed together, and the process was relatively rough. Therefore, coffee bean quality was unstable and prone to defective beans.
2. Coffee farmers usually just found a piece of open ground near their homes for processing, so the ground often had many impurities or dirty things, and the coffee was easily contaminated with off-flavors.
The improved natural method was designed to address the two shortcomings of the traditional method:
1. When picking beans, only fully ripe dark red coffee cherries are harvested. Before sun drying, the beans undergo defect screening at the processing station to make bean size and ripeness appear more uniform.
2. Next, raised wooden frames or entire drying racks are used for sun drying, which avoids the risk of beans being placed on the ground and absorbing off-flavors. During the drying process, the beans must be carefully looked after so that the coffee beans dry evenly and lose moisture uniformly; every three to five days, coffee workers manually screen out and remove defective and moldy beans. Therefore, by the time drying is complete and before the beans enter dehulling and mucilage removal, a batch of brilliantly deep-red dried coffee cherries is already at a grade with very few defects.
After obtaining the green coffee beans, a final screening is sometimes done to pursue perfect flavor, so this natural Sidamo can reach the highest grade G1.
Producing Region Introduction:
Shakisso is located in Guji, in the southern part of the Oromia region, adjacent to Sidama and Gedeo. This area has many mine pits that were used for gold mining in the early days, so this coffee-growing area has many holes. This makes walking through the coffee-growing areas full of danger. Shakisso is a unique producing area within Guji/Sidamo. Even within Sidamo, it is a remote area far from most coffee origins, and 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 this region now faces is the need for manpower to maintain the growing areas and harvest coffee. Local smallholders here began growing organic coffee in 2001 and work closely with medium-sized coffee producers, because they know well how to grow forest coffee in the highlands.
The coffee of Shakisso/Shakiso is quite unique, and the coffee it produces has repeatedly attracted market attention. The original meaning of Ninety Plus's legendary bean (nekisse) comes from the nectar of Shakisso, and both its producing area and name come from Shakisso.
Ethiopian Sidamo Shakisso Natural
Country: Ethiopia
Producing Region: Shakisso Producing Area, Guji Zone
Altitude: 1800-2000
Processing Method: Raised-bed natural
Variety: Local native Heirloom
Producer: Local smallholders
Flavor: Lemon, mango, blueberry, wine aroma
About Operation Cherry Red
When it comes to "Operation Cherry Red," many friends are no strangers to the name. But specifically, what kind of project is Operation Cherry Red? Probably only a few people can say.
In order to help Ethiopian coffee farmers obtain better income and improve local people's living standards, in 2007, a Dutch trader named Trabocca and farmers in the producing area launched the "OPERATION CHERRY RED PROJECT." It was purely to incentivize farmers to improve coffee bean quality. At the start of the harvest season in the producing area, Trabocca would designate harvest plans for microclimate 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 $5,000 in 2008 to purchase new natural drying racks. In 2009, it invested another $8,000 to purchase new natural drying racks and shade nets. In 2010, it invested $9,000 in a generator, and in 2011 continued to invest $10,000 to improve some local coffee transport roads, making coffee transportation more convenient and efficient. Trabocca provided interest-free loans to purchase new coffee cherry pulping machines and coffee bean sorting machines. To facilitate supplier procurement, it then invested $14,000 in 2012 to build a high-quality Addis Ababa coffee cupping laboratory.
Trabocca provides financial loan support, new hardware equipment, and production and processing knowledge and technical assistance to help farmers raise production levels. It promises that as long as the actual output quality meets the cupping standards in the Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Amsterdam, Netherlands cupping rooms, it will purchase at a generous price. Trabocca's passing standard is 88 points.
After processing is completed in the producing area, the coffee beans of Operation Cherry Red are 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, it strives to pursue perfect quality. Roasters can also purchase high-quality coffee beans because of Operation Cherry Red, which also improves the quality of Ethiopian coffee and allows for a better selling price. Trabocca can then return profits to farmers, continuously improving and steadily raising quality.
02 | Processing Method
This naturally processed coffee has slightly larger beans and slightly lower density and moisture content. Every coffee from this processing station can be considered a high-quality meticulously processed coffee, and its performance 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 Yirga region.
After the processing station screens usable coffee cherries, the coffee cherries with the entire fruit pulp and skin kept intact are placed on raised beds for natural drying. It is precisely this raised-bed drying method, which requires intensive manual labor, that isolates the beans from contact with the ground, prevents the musty off-flavors produced during sun drying, and creates an exceptionally clean fruity flavor. After more than two weeks of sun drying, the dark brown coffee fruits are professionally stored, waiting for the entire flavor to mature. Before shipment, the processing station then removes 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 set by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), divided into Gr-1 and Gr-2. The smaller the Arabic numeral, the higher the grade. G1 Yirgacheffe has a distinctive style, and the flavor of citrus and floral notes integrated into the coffee liquid is a deliciousness no one can resist.
Category B is natural-processed green coffee beans, with grades divided into 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 G1 natural Yirgacheffe can overturn everyone's original understanding of coffee. Only those who have tasted the highest-grade 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 the coffee beans to develop off-flavors. There are two processing methods: "natural method" and "washed method." These two methods create different flavors.
Beans processed by the natural method have a complete natural richness, gentle aroma, and more body; the washed method has good body, high aroma, and lively acidity.
Natural/Dried-in-the-Fruit:
After picking, the fruit 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 (the hot air from the dryer can accelerate the drying process and help people control the degree of drying).
Fully Washed:
The washed and fermentation methods are used to remove the skin, 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 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 especially good and quite popular.
Difference Two:
Coffee Bean Appearance
Green beans: Generally, washed green beans are blue-green, while natural green beans are yellow-green.
Roasted beans: Washed Yirgacheffe has more silver skin, while natural Yirgacheffe has less silver skin.
Difference Three: Differences in Taste
Differences in Dry Aroma:
Cupping: [Use a 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 coffee ground 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 somewhat complex, with light fermented wine aroma, a heavier bitter roast note, and a much richer mouthfeel, with honey sweetness, cocoa notes with some spice, a thick body, and a long finish.
Washed Yirgacheffe: The acidity of washed processing is brighter, like citric acid, with a fresher taste, more obvious citrus aroma, and some black tea sensation in the aftertaste.
Similarities: Both have fruity acidity, similar to fruits such as lemon and citrus.
Exported in ordinary gunny sacks, with Trabocca printed and dyed on the sacks.
Yirgacheffe's variety is a local native variety, small-bean type, relatively round in appearance, with a very small bean body, mostly between 14-15 screen sizes.
Yirgacheffe Cherry Red Grade 1 green beans are yellow-green in color, which is typical of natural coffee, with uniform and plump beans and few defective beans.
04 | Roasting Analysis
Beans with such a brilliant flavor are of course not suitable for medium-dark roasting. Therefore, this coffee is planned to use a light, slow roasting method, which best reflects its round and sweet characteristics, with rich floral and fruity aromas.
This coffee's beans are relatively small, and its moisture content means it 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 and directly develop to second crack, confirming the curve development.
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 roasting.
This batch is 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.
Roaster Yangjia 600g semi-direct fire.
Using fast-roast mode, drop into the drum at 200°C, set airflow to 3.5, adjust heat power to 160°C after 1 minute, keep airflow unchanged, adjust heat power once at 148°C, lower to 130°C, roast until 5'03", temperature 151°C, bean surface turns yellow, grassy smell completely disappears, dehydration complete, adjust heat power to 105°C, open airflow to 4;
At the 8th minute, ugly wrinkles and dark spots 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 first crack. At 9'07", first crack begins, reduce heat power to 70°C, open airflow fully (adjust heat power very carefully, not so low that there is no cracking sound), and drop at 194°C.
Yirgacheffe's dry aroma exudes a strong fruity 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 nectar, 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 fruity black tea.
04 | Brewing Analysis
Yirgacheffe's Flavor
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 elegant, sweet and lovely. Yirgacheffe emits an extremely complex aroma and displays an extremely excellent mouthfeel that is hard to describe.
First brew: V60 dripper, 15 grams of grounds, water temperature 90°C, grind setting 4, water-to-coffee ratio close to 1:15.
Bloom with 31 grams of water, bloom time 29s.
Stages: pour to 99ml, stop, then slowly pour to 230ml.
That is 31-99-100.
Taste: Obvious strawberry acidity, astringent finish, with off-flavors.
Adjust grind setting from 4 to 3.5 (finer), lower water temperature.
Second brew (revised): V60 dripper, 15 grams of grounds, water temperature 86°C, grind setting 3.5,
water-to-coffee ratio close to 1:15.
Bloom with 27 grams of water, bloom time 28s.
Stages: 27-105-88, time 1:50 (start timing at bloom).
Taste: Smooth, the flavor is much richer, with layers, and the fermented berry sweetness is enhanced.
The wet aroma of the finished cup, with ripe berry fermented fruit wine notes, makes it hard to believe this is Yirgacheffe, but personally I do not like this wet aroma very much. However, from the extremely smooth entry to the delicate body, the emergence of ripe fruit sweet-sourness is truly stunning, and the sweetness exceeds any Yirgacheffe I have drunk before. The finish also performs quite well. It truly deserves the name "fruit bomb"; after drinking, you can basically still feel sweetness in your mouth for half an hour.
Taobao link: https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z10.1-c.w4004-15673140431.8.2ebeaaf8iGfAu2&id=555060132728
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
