Coffee is first floated to separate out unripe cherries, and then immediately pulped to remove skin of the fruit. Once pulped, coffee is put in fermentation tanks with spring water for roughly 60 hours during which the water is changed 3 times. After fermentation, coffee is washed through channels where “floaters” are separated again. After being washed clean, the coffee is soaked for 8-16 hours, our export/milling partner tells us that this step improves cup quality. Now the coffee is taken to drying beds where it will be moved regularly until it reaches ideal moisture content, roughly two weeks.
Like mentioned above, this coffee (and its natural sibling) is something special on the cupping table. This Washed lot from Gogogu is so fun in the cup. It honestly reminds us of what we dream that Washed Ethiopians taste like, but often fall just shy of. It’s so vibrant with fruity acidity and cups with clear notes of Tart Cherry, Peach, and Limeade. This is the type of coffee that sets a standard, it will be hard for future Washed Ethiopians to keep up with this one.