Ethiopia – Chelbesa

Ethiopia Chelbesa

Region: Gedeb

Altitude: 2000 – 2200 masl

Coffee varieties: Heirloom varieties

Process: Washed

Drying: Raised bed

Cupping notes: Raspberry Iced Tea

Cupping score: 86

Chelbesa, located in Gedeb, is a vital coffee sourcing area where Ephtah exclusively rents and manages the washing station. The washing station in Chelbesa (Kebele), Gedeb (Woreda), plays a crucial role in processing high-quality coffee. The farm spans 2 hectares and is situated at an elevation of 2150-2200 MASL. It employs 17 permanent staff and 150 additional workers during the harvest season from late November to January. The farm features 150 drying beds and cultivates Heirloom coffee varieties.

Processed by a variation on the traditional washed process (fruit removed from the beans before drying) that adds no water to the tank during fermentation, hence a “dry” fermentation. The dry fermentation involves letting the coffees rest in climate controlled fermentation tanks post de-mucilaging (this is where the seed is removed from the skin and pulp of the fruit).

The coffee rests warm and dry while fermentation kickstarts faster than normal in the warm air environment, activating esters during fermentation, resulting in a hearty, complex, and apparent red fruit flavor while still being washed off its pulp. This process uses a lot less water and has helped the environmental sustainability in its production.