Region: Borena Zone, Gelana and Abaya Woredas

Municipality: Doko Chere, Yirgacheffe Town

Producer Type: Wet Mills - Around 1200 farmers delivering to two washing stations

Altitude: 1800-2200 masl

Genetic Varieties: Typica

Processing: Washed and Natural Process at Wet Mill

Drying Method: Sun Dried on Raised Beds at Wet Mill

Notes: Red Grape, Candied Orange, Lime and Sugar, Orange-like acidity and medium body ESPRESSO: fudge, blackberry, coconut and lime, medium acidity and full body.

Origin Description:
This Ethiopian coffee is produced in the Gelana and Abaya woredas (districts,) located just northwest of the town of Yirgacheffe. Gelana and Abaya are neighboring woredas with Gelana to the south and Abaya to the north, stretched along the eastern slopes of the range of hills that separate Yirgacheffe from Lake Abaya. Both are located in the Borena Zone of Ethiopia’s massive Oromia Region. Although Yirgacheffe town is less than 10 miles from Shara washing station, Gelana Abaya coffees have a unique profile compared to other Yirgacheffe coffees.

The pride in their coffee is shown as the Shara Washing Station (WS) in Gelana Abaya is known for the tidiness of the facilities, and the outstanding condition of the equipment. The depulping machinery and fermentation tanks are all pristine, and the drying beds are all in fantastic condition. Also impressive is the teamwork of the workers at the washing station. A group of a dozen or so work together with long wooden paddles to stir up the fermenting parchment coffee before washing through the concrete channels to ensure removal of loose mucilage from the parchment. Another several dozen workers sort drying parchment coffees together on raised beds, both groups singing in time to the rhythm of their activities.

The complexity of the coffee arriving to the station also highlight the care the farmers take in growing and harvesting their cherries. Sweet peach, nectarine and green melon are prominent, along with heavy lilac and lime zest aromatics. This evident care invested in the coffee by the farmers delivering to Shara that sets it apart from the scores of Yirgacheffe offered throughout the year.