Origin Story
This lot is made up of coffee grown near the kebele (local village) of Werka, which is located in the Nensebo woreda (administrative district), in Ethiopia’s West Arsi Zone. The coffee was processed using the natural method at Aash washing station, one of 28 owned and managed by Testi Coffee, a family-owned company founded by Mr. Faysel Yonis.
Sitting at an impressive 1,900 meters above sea level, Aash produces exceptional washed and natural coffees. The washing station currently processes around 1 million kilo of coffee cherry each year. During harvest, this freshly picked coffee is delivered daily by some 750 independent outgrowers to the kebele of Bulga, where Aash is located.
The microclimate at Aash, and the villages that surround it, are heavily influenced by the forest, with cooler and wetter conditions than in most of Ethiopia. The area receives a whopping 995mm of rainfall each year, which is ideal for coffee propogation.
Processing
This coffee was processed using the natural method; a complex process requiring a high level of attention to detail in order to be done well. Ethiopian coffee has been processed this way by generations of farmers who have mastered the art of the natural method through centuries of tradition and experience.
Testi Coffee ensures that a great deal of care is taken in the processing and drying of their naturals, and they aim for all of their exportable coffee to be specialty quality grade. This coffee is classified as Grade 1, indicating that a lot of effort has been put into the selection, grading and drying to ensure the very highest quality coffee is produced.
Each day, carefully hand-picked coffee cherries are delivered to the wet mill and are meticulously hand-sorted prior to processing to remove unripe, overripe, or damaged fruit, in order to enhance the quality and sweetness of the cup. The coffee is then graded by weight and spread evenly on raised African beds (screens) to dry in the sun. Initially, it is laid very thinly and turned regularly to ensure consistent drying and prevent over-fermentation. This is done very carefully to avoid damage to the fruit.
After a few days, when the coffee has reached 25% humidity—this is called the “raisin stage”—the layers of coffee are gradually increased. Careful attention and control during this drying phase ensures the coffee is stable and that a clean and balanced cup profile is achieved. The coffee is turned constantly whilst drying to ensure that it dries evenly and consistently. At midday, the coffee is covered to protect it from full sun. It is also covered overnight to prevent damage from morning dew.
