Product information - Ethiopia Aricha ‘Pink’

Aricha 'Pink'

Origin : Yirgacheffe, Gedeo zone, Ethiopia
Varietal : Heirloom 
Process : Natural
Altitude : 1950 - 2300masl 
Harvest : October - January

Yirgacheffe is a “Coffee Growing Area” based on the Commercial Coffee Contracts from Ethiopian Commodity Exchange(ECX). Yirgacheffe is located in the south of Ethiopia and it’s widely considered the birthplace of coffee. Many great coffee lots come from this area as it contains the popular areas of Worka, Koke, Konga, Beloya and the renowned Chelelektu.

This coffees grow in small farmers backyards in the Yirgacheffe region. The coffees are known as “Garden coffee” and they are harvested from October-January.
Once lots get combined on washing stations, coffee is dried on African beds under sunlight. Lots then get combined and sold through the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX). After coffee is bought by Primrose, lots go under further quality control screening.

In the past, lots purchased from the Yirgacheffe area could not be differentiated by mill eg. Konga or Chelelektu. Government regulations required all coffees from this region to be simply labelled “Yirgacheffe”.

However with the recent changes made to the ECX, we are now able to trace some lots back to the town or even specific washing station they were produced. Also, in order to help roasters distinguish and identify these coffees, Project Origin continue to provide colour names that represent the cup profile for some of these beans.

Aricha, as a coffee hub of Yirgacheffe area, approximately 1,000 smallholders from different communities bring their coffee cherries freshly picked to sell.
Also as it is a washing station, the coffees purchased from the smallholders are combined, then they start processing it such as washed process, natural process, or so.

The nuances of natural Ethiopian coffee are not particularly strong; however, it does tell us it is natural process by some flavour notes softly cutting through.

• (Often) It can be developed within the range of berry flavours and aroma such as strawberry / sweet blueberry / fresh mixed berries
• (Often) It can be developed within the range of bitter citric flavours such as grapefruit / lemon pith
• (Sometimes) The dark savoury flavours can be sensed as green herb / 85%-90% cacao / Asian black tea such as Oolong
• (Sometimes) It can be developed within the range of spicy flavours such as curry / mace / juniper berry
• (Often) The sweetness is likely to be caramel / jam / toffee mixed with gentle level of floral notes
• (Often) The range of body is medium to medium heavy, smooth, creamy, also coating but it can vary depending on different extractions

Also we have found this coffee consistently fresh mixed berries-like, caramel, and citric during our production cupping & tasting with plenty of various brewing methods, so most of you are likely to get those as well.

It is roasted for both filter coffee and espresso, particularly the best on pour-over tools with the rough recipe as below.

• Brewing ratio : 1(coffee) to 16(brewing water)
• Brewing time : around 02:20 to extract the most pleasant sugar level of this coffee
• Brewing water temperature : over 93 degrees Celsius water.

It is also very good with immersion methods such as Clever or Plunger.

• Brewing ratio : 1(coffee) to 15(brewing water)
• Brewing time : 4 to 5 minutes (coarse grind size)
• Brewing water temperature : over 94 degrees Celsius water.

Try this reference recipe on an espresso machine,

• 19g dose in 20g basket
• Brewing time 24 seconds (set 7 seconds pre-infusion)
• 44g to 48g out
• Brewing water temperature : 93.5 - 94.5 degrees Celsius water.