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Ethiopian Coffee – Fair Trade, Organic
Ethiopia, known as the birthplace of coffee, boasts an ideal climate for producing tasty-tasting beans. First discovered in southwest Ethiopia where Arabica, known as Kaffa or “coffee,” first flourished wild. As its trees are naturally grown under shade trees without artificial fertilizers used, Ethiopian coffee boasts superior quality; with over 1000 varieties cultivated across its borders.
Yirgacheffe stands out among these varieties with its delicate citrus and floral notes and silky body, while our Heirloom Blend showcases this regional specialty through both washed and natural processes from across Ethiopia.
This Fair Trade Organic Coffee hails from a cooperative of family farms in Wenago District of Gedeo Zone in Eastern Ethiopia. Members of this cooperative are committed to upholding and improving their coffee’s quality, using sustainable farming methods for certification by Ethiopian National Agriculture Research Institute (ENERI). This particular lot was certified organic by them.
As part of their commitment to sustainability, these farmers also contribute to community development projects. Working alongside local government and non-governmental organizations, they collaborate on improving lives in their community while offering training and support services for other farmers to increase income and secure better futures for themselves and their families.
Ethiopian coffee consumption differs significantly from American standards in that it’s often done while on-the-go; rather, drinking Ethiopian coffee is considered an integral social and cultural tradition. The buna ceremony, led by either the wife or eldest daughter of a household, usually lasts several hours and occurs on weekends and holidays. Guests are encouraged to wear traditional clothing, while cups are traditionally arranged into jebena with seasonings such as sugar, salt, butter or rue leaves (depending on region) before sweet incense is burnt to drive away evil spirits and it would be considered rude not finishing all three cups before leaving this cultural event!
Coffee is an integral part of Ethiopian culture and society, having a lasting effect. Therefore, the beans used for coffee production in Ethiopia must be of the highest quality, grown using sustainable ecological methods in small plots intercropped with other plants for intercropping purposes and then harvested manually before being sorted manually to remove any unwanted fragments.
Ethiopian coffee is known to be aromatic. The delicate, fruity, nutty flavors boasting bright acidity and complex blueberry notes make this beverage truly unforgettable. To maximize its potential and get the full range of flavors it has to offer, brewing with either French press or pour-over can help extract all its glory.