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For washed coffee, Front Street feels it's like a breeze in summer, refreshing to the heart! How can we talk about washed coffee without mentioning Ethiopia's Yirgacheffe? Front Street's washed Yirgacheffe has always been one of the most highly regarded origins, and even within the same origin, washed coffee from different cooperatives will have regional flavor characteristics. Front Street is passionate about finding distinctive coffees in these origins — this has always been Front Street's philosophy of bean sourcing!

Yirgacheffe Coffee Bean Origin

Yirgacheffe is administratively part of Sidamo in southern Ethiopia, and its washed beans are world-famous for their refined flavors, later becoming an independent coffee origin in Ethiopia. Most coffees from the Yirgacheffe coffee region grow at an altitude of around 2,000 meters. Due to years of cultivation, the forest area in the Yirgacheffe coffee region has gradually decreased, and it is a densely populated area, with coffee mainly grown in household plots.

As Yirgacheffe became increasingly popular, the ECX (Ethiopian Commodity Exchange, established in 2012) began subdividing the region in 2019. In earlier years, coffee beans from the Kochere region were sold under the name Yirgacheffe, but now Kochere also sells under its own brand name, and the Kochere region has become a very important washed coffee region. As more washing stations are set up in Kochere, it is very likely that a new coffee brand will be subdivided southeast of Kochere in the future.

Coffee Bean Varieties

Friends who often drink Front Street Yirgacheffe coffee beans should notice that Ethiopian coffee beans vary in size, and the varieties are all Heirloom local native species. In fact, most Ethiopian coffee bean varieties are named under the name Heirloom local native species, simply because there are so many coffee bean varieties in Ethiopia — it is often called the natural gene bank of Arabica.

Yirgacheffe Coffee Processing Methods

Coffee beans from the Yirgacheffe coffee region currently have two processing methods: washed processing and natural (sun-dried) processing.

Natural processing: After selecting ripe coffee cherries, they are sun-dried until the moisture content reaches 12%, then the skin and pulp are removed.

Recommended coffee: Front Street Natural Red Cherry, with flavors of berries, citrus, floral notes, and a slight fermented feel, suitable for pour-over and cold brew

Washed processing: After selecting ripe coffee cherries, the skin and pulp are removed, then they are soaked and fermented in water, and then dried until the moisture content reaches about 12%.

Recommended coffee: Front Street Washed Gutingding, with fresh white floral notes, citrus, lemon, and green tea flavors, a light body, suitable for pour-over

Natural processing retains the flavor of the pulp, while washed processing removes the flavor of the pulp. You can experience a clear difference in taste — washed is cleaner and brighter, while natural has a richer flavor.
 

Front Street Yirgacheffe Washed and Natural Green Coffee Beans

Taking [Front Street Yirgacheffe Red Cherry, Front Street Yirgacheffe Kochere, Front Street Yirgacheffe Gutingding] as examples

Yirgacheffe Kochere coffee and Yirgacheffe Gutingding coffee are both washed processed, from different washing stations in the Yirgacheffe coffee region.

[Yirgacheffe Gutingding Coffee] The Gutingding Cooperative is located in the Worka region at the southeastern end of Yirgacheffe. It was originally part of the Worka Cooperative under the Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union (YCFCU). Later, as more and more people valued the source of coffee beans, distinctive small regions were discovered one by one by coffee hunters around the world. In 2012, Gutingding, with about 300 members, became independent from the Worka Cooperative and established the Gutingding Cooperative.
 

Front Street Yirgacheffe Gutingding Coffee Beans

Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) Roasting Suggestions

Such a splendid-flavored Yirgacheffe coffee bean is of course not very suitable for medium-dark roasting, as it would lose its characteristic fruity acidity. Although some people now try medium-dark roasting Yirgacheffe beans and can still slightly perceive the fruity acidity, it won't be as refreshing and bright as light roasting — they are two completely different styles. Therefore, Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) recommends light roasting.
 

Yirgacheffe Kochere Coffee Roasting Curve / Yirgacheffe Gutingding Coffee Roasting Curve

Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) Brewing Suggestions 

Dripper: V60
Water temperature: 92-93°C
Dose: 15g
Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15
Grind size: caster sugar size (20-mesh sieve, 78% passing)

Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) Brewing Method

Pulse pouring: Bloom with 30g of water for 30 seconds, then pour in a small circular stream to 125g and pause, then when the water level is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 225g and stop. (Start timing from the beginning of the bloom) Total extraction time: 2'00"

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