Believed to be the birthplace of coffee as we know it, Ethiopia is one of the best known and most appreciated coffee producers in the world of specialty coffee. It’s certainly a favourite single origin at Cape Coffee Beans, typically offering fruit flavours and floral aromatics with a pleasantly bright acidity. Much of the Ethiopian coffee we’ve enjoyed has come from the celebrated Yirgacheffe region, often deemed the Champagne of the coffee belt. Quaffee’s Yirgacheffe is particularly fantastic, and we’re really excited to now have another Ethiopian coffee of theirs on our shelves.

This coffee comes from Jimma Zone, a notable coffee-growing region found in South-West Ethiopia. You may notice in the “Varieties” section in the notes below that it is categorised vaguely as “Various heirloom coffees”. This generic title is a catch-all term that accounts for the fact that Ethiopia is home to thousands of coffee plant varieties that regularly cross-pollinate and hybridise, making it near impossible for producers to truly know a given plant’s exact genetic heritage. The result is that Ethiopian coffee is particularly diverse, and can vary substantially from region to region, and farm to farm. One thing remains consistent though: specialty Ethiopian lots are second to none, and typically offer bright acidity and unique fruit or floral notes in the cup.

Phaedon's tasting notes

For those who enjoy a delicate cup, this will definitely be a coffee to try. It has a light body, and while there are some subtle fruit notes, like citrus or even quince, they are quite discrete. Far more pronounced are the floral aromas that you'll find in every cup, which combine with the soft mouthfeel and mild acidity to make quite a refreshing brew. I loved this coffee in a Chemex where I found some jammy and marmalade-like qualities came to the fore, and I was very pleasantly surprised by what a lovely (albeit alternative) moka pot it made!

Quaffee’s notes

• Taste Profile: Lemon and floral notes, with an apple and burnt caramel finish.
• Roast Used: Flame through the roast until just before the first crack, where it is decreased, extending development and keeping the coffee on the lighter side of the roast.
• Roast degree: Light
• Quaffee brews:
  • Espresso: 1:2.1-2.3
  • AeroPress: 17.5g:200g
  • Plunger: 48g:800g
  • Pour over/filter: 16.5-20g:300g

Coffee details from Quaffee

• Producer: Mustefa Abakeno (smallholder with 18 hectares)
• Country: Ethiopia
• Region: Beshasha Kebele, Jimma Zone, Western Ethiopia
• Farm: Mustefa Abakeno’s farm
• Altitude: 2000 - 2120 masl
• Processing: Washed
• Species/Variety: Various Ethiopian heirloom coffees
• Packaging: GrainPro in Hessian
• Cupping score: 84.5

“Ethiopia is widely believed to be where the coffee species Arabica was initially found and consumed. Genetic tracing has found that Arabica coffee probably comes from Western Ethiopia and Southern Sudan. One of the great things about Ethiopian coffees is the complete mix of varieties grown there. An estimated six to ten thousand cultivars exist naturally in the Ethiopian highlands and are commonly grouped under the name heirloom. Cross-pollination of genetics is totally amazing. So much so that there are more cultivars of Arabica in heirloom coffee in Ethiopia than there are in the rest of the world.

“Mustefa registered as an exporter in 2018, allowing him to connect directly with buyers. His small wet mill, Beshasha, processes his own coffee and that of fellow outgrowers.Mustefa cultivates coffee varieties sourced from the Jimma research centre. His meticulous approach includes both washed and natural processing methods.”

Quaffee's transparency information

• FOB Price: $11 / kg
• Producer/Organisation: Mustefa Abakeno
• Lot size bought: 1 x 60kg bags
• Relationship: Quaffee has worked with Faclon since 2016