Front Street Coffee recently launched a highly anticipated coffee bean—the 2020 TOH Washed Group Champion, produced in Ethiopia's Uraga region. This bean impresses with its fresh flavors of citrus and green tea. Geographically, the Uraga region is close to Yirgacheffe and was often sold under the name Yirgacheffe in the past, until the ECX issued Announcement No. 1051 in 2017, after which it was able to be traded independently and gradually emerged. This article will introduce the region's background, the meaning of the TOH competition, the processing details of the champion lot, and the cupping flavors, as well as provide a horizontal comparison with the Yirgacheffe Gedeb Cooperative, giving you a comprehensive understanding of the unique charm of this champion coffee. [more…]

Many friends of Front Street Coffee beans like Front Street TOH coffee beans, but many are not clear about what TOH means. Starting from the TOH competition, this article provides a detailed introduction to the 2020 TOH washed category champion—this bean from Uraga in the Guji region of Ethiopia—covering its regional background, the washed process at the Sela Gajaba processing station, the curve design by Front Street roasters, and a brewing recipe that highlights jasmine, pomelo, and green tea flavors. Whether you want to understand what TOH actually is or master the key brewing points for this champion bean, you can find the answers below. [more…]

Africa, as the core region of the coffee-growing belt, has nurtured many high-quality coffee-producing countries, among which Ethiopia is widely recognized as the birthplace of coffee. The African Fine Coffees Association (AFCA), established in 2000, launched the Taste of Harvest (TOH) competition, whose format is similar to that of the Cup of Excellence (COE) and is divided into national competitions and the Africa regional final. In 2024, the Ethiopia TOH competition was held in Addis Ababa, with a total of 75 companies and 212 Arabica coffee entries participating. This article will introduce in detail the origin backgrounds and processing details of the natural group champion Testi Trading Plc, the washed group champion Eseham Trading plc, and the honey process group champion Yihonal Trading plc, and will also include relevant recommendations from Front Street Coffee. [more…]

Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) has long been following and introducing winning lots from Ethiopia's TOH (Taste of Harvest) competition. The 2020 washed category champion bean came from Uraga in the Guji region, earning the national title with a score of 89.8. This bean is grown at an altitude of up to 2,300 meters, graded G1, and processed using the washed method, with flavor notes layered with jasmine, citrus, honey, pomelo, and oolong tea. This article will systematically sort through the TOH competition mechanism, the terroir characteristics of the Guji and Uraga regions, the washed processing flow at the Sela Gajaba processing station, and Ethiopia's green bean grading system, and will also include Front Street Coffee's (FrontStreet Coffee) roasting curve, cupping report, and V60 brewing parameters, helping coffee enthusiasts fully understand the origins and tasting highlights of this champion bean. [more…]

The Ethiopian TOH (Taste of Harvest) competition is known as Africa's coffee "Cup of Excellence," and each year its winning beans represent the highest standard of their producing regions. The 2019 natural category champion, Aricha, and the 2020 washed category champion, Uraga, were both introduced to the domestic market by Front Street Coffee. They come from the well-known regions of Yirgacheffe and Guji respectively, and their processing methods—one natural, one washed—give them completely different flavor profiles. This article will provide a comprehensive comparison of these two champion beans, covering producing region background, processing technique, variety characteristics, roasting curve, cupping, and brewing, to help coffee lovers understand their respective style positioning and suitable audiences. [more…]

Ardi Leraro, the champion of the 2020 TOH (Taste of Harvest) competition in Ethiopia, comes from the Yirgacheffe region and is processed using the anaerobic natural method, known for its distinct strawberry, peach, and fermented wine aromas. This article will provide a complete analysis of this champion bean's unique flavor profile, from green bean information, processing techniques, and roasting recommendations to cupping notes, and will share Front Street Coffee's brewing parameters and tasting experience. Whether you are a pour-over enthusiast or an espresso player, you will find practical references here and experience the complex layers and sweetness that anaerobic natural processing brings. [more…]

At the 2020 Taste of Harvest (TOH) Africa coffee competition, a natural coffee from the Armelelalu processing plant in the Konga region of Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia, scored 90.70 points to win the natural group championship and the overall championship. This bean uses heirloom varieties, is grown at an altitude of 2,200 meters, and undergoes anaerobic slow-dry natural processing, presenting rose floral notes, a fresh fruit-champagne quality, intense tropical fruit aromas, and a candied sweetness, with a round and smooth mouthfeel and a long-lasting sweet aftertaste. This article will guide you through the background of the TOH competition, detailed information about this champion bean, and why the Yirgacheffe region is hailed as synonymous with delicious coffee. [more…]

Yirgacheffe, as a representative producing region of Ethiopian specialty coffee, saw the Adorsi processing station win the natural group championship at this year's TOH harvest-season flavor cupping competition, with its Aricha lot standing out with a high score of 91 points. This article will introduce in detail the origin background, processing station information, competition journey, and flavor characteristics of this champion bean. At the same time, Front Street Coffee will also guide you through the authority of the T.O.H competition, the concept of the Heirloom native variety, and the rich layers of grape juice, jackfruit, fermented wine aroma, citrus, and lemon that this bean displays in cupping, making it suitable for enthusiasts who love Ethiopian natural coffee to gain a deeper understanding. [more…]

In 2019, the washed category crown at the Ethiopia TOH green bean competition went to a bean named "Hero" from the Uraga processing plant in the Guji region. It has a fascinating flavor profile weaving together jasmine, bergamot, lemon, apricot, and honey. Coffee Review gave it 88 points, it grows at an altitude of up to 2,150 meters, and it is washed processed and medium roasted. This article will guide you through the origin background of this champion bean, the uniqueness of Ethiopia's native Heirloom variety, and the significance of the TOH competition, and it also includes the pour-over parameters recommended by Front Street Coffee—90°C water temperature, a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, and extraction completed within two minutes—so you can recreate this bright floral aroma of the African highlands at home. [more…]

At the Amederaro processing station in Ethiopia, at an altitude of 2,200 meters, a coffee bean named Amederaro was born, one that went on to win both the national and African regional finals of the 2019/20 TOH competition. This bean, brought to you by Front Street Coffee, undergoes anaerobic slow drying; after being harvested as fully ripe cherries and carefully sorted, it is slowly fermented in an anaerobic environment, creating layered flavors of passion fruit, honey, champagne, and white grape, with abundant juiciness and a balanced fermented character. This article will provide a comprehensive introduction to this coffee—both powerful and refined—from the perspectives of its origin background, processing method, flavor profile, and the meaning of the TOH competition. [more…]

Yirgacheffe is a name impossible to avoid in the world of specialty coffee, and Aricha, as the 2019 African TOH Natural Group champion, pushes the floral and fruity character of this producing region to the extreme. This article begins with Aricha's origin background, heirloom varietal characteristics, and the prestige of the TOH competition, then moves on to Front Street Coffee's roasting approach and brewing recommendations, helping you see clearly why this bean is called a "fruit bomb." If you are looking for a daily staple that combines fermented winey aromatics, ripe fruit sweetness, and a juicy mouthfeel, you may want to follow Front Street Coffee's cupping notes and V60 three-pour method to fully extract Aricha's flavors together. [more…]

This coffee bean from Uraga in Ethiopia's Guji region took first place with 89.8 points in the washed group at the 2020 Taste of Harvest (TOH) competition in East Africa. Front Street Coffee has specially put together for coffee lovers an overview of this champion bean's growing region background, processing method, roasting approach, and brewing plan. Uraga town sits at an altitude of 2,300 meters and has fertile black soil along with a rich genetic potential for fruit flavors. After meticulous washing at the Sela Gajaba processing station, it displays the traditional Ethiopian floral aroma, citrus, and tea-like notes, while cleanliness is greatly improved. To preserve its clear mouthfeel, Front Street Coffee's roaster focused on amplifying the white floral and fruit notes, and developed targeted pour-over parameters to highlight the core flavors of jasmine, pomelo, honey, and green tea. [more…]

TOH stands for the Taste of Harvest competition, a green coffee cupping event initiated by the African Fine Coffees Association, and is ranked alongside Brazil's Cup of Excellence. In 2020, this washed bean from the Uraga sub-region of Ethiopia's Guji producing area won the washed group championship with a score of 89.8. It was carefully washed at the Sela Gajaba processing station at an altitude of up to 2,300 meters, displaying rich layers of jasmine, lemon, berry, pomelo, honey, and green tea. The roaster at Front Street Coffee used a Yangjia 800N roasting machine, adjusting the dehydration phase and first crack time to preserve its clean mouthfeel and white floral and fruity notes. For brewing, a coarser grind, 91°C water temperature, and a three-stage pour are used to highlight the floral and citrus juice character. This article will provide a complete analysis of this champion bean's origin background, processing method, roasting curve, and brewing parameters. [more…]

The 2019 TOH (Taste of Harvest) Ethiopia Natural Group national champion was won by a Yirgacheffe submitted by the Adorsi processing plant, with a cupping score as high as 91.38 points. The processing plant is located in the Aricha production area, at an altitude of 1,950-2,100 meters. The combination of red volcanic soil and the ancient native Heirloom variety, together with hand-selected 17-18 mesh green beans and a precise anaerobic fermentation process, gives this coffee its outstanding cup performance. Front Street Coffee provides you with a detailed introduction to this champion bean's origin background, competition journey, and flavor characteristics, and shares its richly layered flavor profile of strawberry, berries, guava, brandy, and liqueur chocolate, as well as the changes in acidity and sweet aftertaste after the coffee cools. [more…]

The Yirgacheffe region has long been famous for its bright floral and fruity notes, and Aricha is one of its most notable lots. This natural-process bean from the Adorsi processing station won first place in the natural category at the 2019 Africa TOH competition, with a cupping score as high as 91 points. Front Street Coffee uses a medium-light roast, striving to present its fermented wine aroma, ripe fruit sweetness, and creamy smooth finish. This article will guide you through Aricha's origin background, the history of the TOH competition, and share Front Street's roasting curve and V60 three-pour brewing parameters, helping you recreate this "fruit bomb"'s enchanting flavor at home. [more…]

Yirgacheffe's status in the specialty coffee world needs no elaboration, and the natural-process lots from the Aricha region are among its brightest stars. This TOH champion bean brought to you by Front Street Coffee originates from Aricha kebele village in Ethiopia's Yirgacheffe region, run by farm owner SHEBRO DUKALE, where a native forest environment at 1,850 to 2,000 meters elevation nurtures a rich diversity of coffee varieties. Natural processing gives it layers of ripe fruit, fermented aromatics, and grape-juice-like notes, while the G1 grade further ensures consistency in the cup. This article will take you through the region's background, processing methods, pour-over parameters, and flavor description to give you a comprehensive understanding of this natural Yirgacheffe that combines a legendary origin with championship honors. [more…]

On the stage of specialty coffee, the Huakui coffee beans from the Hambela region of Ethiopia shot to fame with the title of champion of the 2017 TOH natural group, and subsequently gained even greater renown when a barista defeated Geisha in a brewing competition. This bean not only witnessed the rise of the Hambela region, but also gave rise to the Huakui X.0 series and the small-bean Huakui offshoot. This article will trace the historical development of Huakui, compare the flavor differences among different batches, and share Front Street Coffee's brewing insights on Huakui and Huakui 5.0, taking you deeper into the unique charm of this African natural-process bean. [more…]

The results of the 2017 Taste of Harvest (TOH) East Africa competition's Kenya division have been announced. Fram Farm from the Kirinyaga production area took first place with a score of 85.3. This AA-grade auction lot was secured by Qingdao Fisher Coffee, making it another African TOH champion bean following Ethiopia's Gesha and Uganda's entries. Fram is a family-run private farm with its own washing station, and its main varieties are SL28 and SL34. This article will explore multiple angles including the farm's background, the development history of Kenyan coffee, the grading system, and the K72 washing process, along with Front Street Coffee's brewing recommendations and a flavor description of Kenyan small tomato beans, taking you through the full story behind this champion bean. [more…]

Huakui coffee beans are one of the most talked-about Ethiopian varieties in China's specialty coffee scene in recent years. Originating from the Buku Abel processing station in the Hambela region of Sidama, it shot to fame thanks to winning the 2017 TOH natural category championship and its standout performance at the World Brewers Cup. Compared with the often pricey Geisha, Huakui quickly became a daily staple for many coffee lovers thanks to its affordable price and intense strawberry-and-cream aroma. This article will systematically trace the origins and evolution of this bean from the perspectives of Huakui's rise to fame, regional grading, flavor evolution, and brewing comparisons, helping readers fully understand why Huakui coffee beans are both cheap and delicious. [more…]

Yirgacheffe is the specialty coffee origin that serves as an introduction for many coffee enthusiasts, and Aricha, a village located about 8 kilometers to its east, has become a representative presence in Ethiopian sun-dried coffee thanks to its wins in the TOH sun-dried category in 2009 and 2019. At an altitude of over 1,850 meters, the coffee here is harvested from Heirloom varieties growing in native forests and, after sun-drying, presents a rich flavor interweaving strawberry, mango, apricot, and lemon, described by Front Street Coffee as a "fruit bomb." This article will systematically sort out Aricha's origin background, the history of the TOH competition, and the sun-drying process, and, combined with Front Street Coffee's cupping performance and V60 three-pour brewing method, provide coffee enthusiasts with a complete reference from understanding to hands-on practice. [more…]