Ethiopian Coffee

Whether you're already a coffee pro or just curious about Ethiopian coffee, there’s much to discover. Ethiopia is one of the largest coffee producers and exporters worldwide, so you likely already drank one or the other Ethiopian coffee.

In addition to having an interesting history, coffee in Ethiopia is special because there are so many different microclimates and uncountable heirloom varieties. This sets Ethiopia apart from other countries, which often use the same popular beans like Bourbon, Typica, and Caturra - which can all be traced back to the original arabica beans in Ethiopia. You won't find most of the varieties used in Ethiopia anywhere else.

The world of Ethiopian coffee is full of interesting discoveries, and this blog looks at some of them. We start with a brief history of Ethiopian coffee, look at what Ethiopian coffee tastes like, and answer questions about how to roast and brew coffee from the birthplace of arabica beans. 

Unlike other coffee-producing countries, Ethiopia's relationship with coffee is already well over a thousand years old. It all started in the country's South-West in a region called Kaffa. Many people believe that a goat herd with the name Kaldi was the person who discovered the coffee bean. He was out with his goats and noticed they had quite a lot of energy. When he realized that they got these bouts of energy every time they ate the berries from a certain tree, he took them to some monks and asked them to find out what the fruit's secret was. Long story short: Kaldi's goats led to the discovery of the precious coffee bean.

It is important to note that this story was written in 1671, so some people suspect it's just an entertaining legend. While Kaldi's story may be true, there are also reasons to believe that the Galla tribe discovered coffee. While coffee's discovery happened in the 9th century, it wasn't until the 13th century that people started roasting and brewing coffee beans. Another two centuries passed until coffee cultivation became a more serious business in Ethiopia.

As it is the story with many good things, coffee beans soon started to be introduced to other continents and neighboring countries. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Ethiopia coffee traveled all over the world, and people soon discovered that certain countries just had the best growing conditions for coffee trees (now known as the coffee belt).

In the 19th and 20th centuries, coffee exports became important to Ethiopia's economy. The 20th century saw a huge increase in Ethiopia's coffee production and exports. Today, Ethiopia is the world's 9th largest exporter of coffee and the most important coffee grower in Africa. The main buyers of Ethiopian coffee beans are Germany, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and South Korea.

There are many different types of Ethiopia coffee, so it's hard to pin the aroma and flavor down to just a few specific points. We'll look at the various regions further below, and you'll see how flavors can change from region to region.

Many Ethiopian coffee beans have a few things in common. They usually have a bright, lively acidity with fruity and floral aromas and flavors. Flavors can include berry notes as well as tropical fruit notes. Coffees from Ethiopia are popular because of their layered taste experience with various flavors and aromas you can discover in just one cup.

While fruity and floral are the most common flavors and aromas of the best Ethiopian coffee, you can also find coffee with spicy and herbal undertones with hints of cinnamon, clove, or even thyme. Of course, depending on processing and roasting methods, some coffees also have popular cocoa and nutty flavors.

As you'll see below, Ethiopian coffees can be pretty unique and diverse, so it would be wrong to say that one roast type is perfect for ALL single-origin coffees. Your preferences or what your customers like also play an important role.

A light roast preserves the beans' unique characteristics and highlights their lively acidity. If you want to focus on terroir, a light roast is ideal. A medium roast works very nicely with most Ethiopian coffees and is a popular choice. You'll still get a hint of the origin's unique flavors while adding caramelization. This results in a rounded and balanced cup with more sweetness than a light roast.

You can experiment with medium-dark roasts. However, it's a challenge to maintain a good balance. It's easy to roast the beans too much and end up with a dark roast, which hardly leaves anything of the terroir in the beans and is usually bitter. A well-done medium-dark roast brings out chocolatey and nutty notes while maintaining a little of the origin's flavor.

Sidamo 

Altitude: 1,500-2,200 meters above sea level

Flavor Profile: Sidamo coffees generally have a balanced acidity and a medium body. You'll notice a complex flavor with floral and fruity notes with hints of citrus, berry, and sometimes spicy undertones.

Good to know: Coffee farms in Sidamo often also grow other crops, and farmers try to maintain natural habits as much as possible. Thanks to Sidamo's topography and its many microclimates, you can find some very interesting and different coffees from this region.

Yirgacheffe 

Altitude:1,700-2,200 meters above sea level

Flavor Profile: Yirgacheffe coffees usually have a medium body with bright, floral, and tea-like qualities. You’ll taste notes of jasmine, lemon, and bergamot. Sometimes, you can also discover delicate hints of blueberry.

Good to know: Yirgacheffe lies within Sidamo, but it's a special place for coffee lovers. Not only was it the first place within Ethiopia to use a wet-processing mill, but it's also one of the country's best-known coffee regions.

Guji 

Altitude: 1,700-2,200 meters above sea level

Flavor Profile: Coffee beans from Guji usually make a cup full of fruity and complex flavors. You can taste fruity notes like berries, stone fruits, and sometimes tropical fruit.

Good to know: Guji started producing and exporting coffee commercially much later than other regions. The coffee market only became an important part of locals in Guji in the 20th century.

Harrar 

Altitude: 1,400-2,100 meters above sea level

Flavor Profile: Harrar coffees are bold and complex with fruity notes of dried fruit. These coffees tend to have wine-like qualities with a distinct earthiness. You can sometimes also detect notes of spices and herbs.

Good to know: Coffee drinking is integral to daily life and hospitality in Harrar, which is home to many lively coffee markets or "souks".

Limu 

Altitude: 1,300-2,000 masl

Flavor Profile: Most Limu coffees have a medium body with moderate or low acidity. Flavors are usually fruity and floral, with earthy undertones and hints of cocoa or nuttiness.

Good to know: Natural conservation and biodiversity are important to farmers in Limu, who often grow their coffee plants in natural habitats or plant additional trees around their farms. This doesn’t only help the environment but also protects coffee plants and often results in higher-quality coffee cherries.

Kaffa 

Altitude: 1,200-2,000 masl

Flavor Profiles: The Kaffa region usually produces a rich, full-bodied cup with fruity and herbal notes. You can find flavors like berries and spice; you'll notice a certain earthiness in some coffees.

Good to know: Kaffa, the birthplace of Arabica coffee, is home to over 5,000 different types of wild Arabica coffee plants. 

Agaro 

Altitude: 1,500-2,000 masl

Flavor Profiles: A bean from Agaro usually gives your beverage a bright acidity with a floral aroma and fruity, tea-like notes. You can also sometimes experience flavors like jasmine and bergamot.

Good to know: Agaro is a fairly new coffee region but is already making waves in the specialty coffee scene because of the unique terroir of its coffee.

Illubabor

Altitude: 1,200-2,200 masl

Flavor Profiles: Coffees grown in Illubabor usually have a balanced flavor, medium acidity, and a medium body. You'll find floral notes, hints of citrus, and sometimes nutty or chocolaty undertones. Some coffees also have hints of green tea.

Good to know: Illubador has varied microclimates and incredible biodiversity, which means that some of the coffees from this region are unlike any others you can find.

Ethiopian Coffee Varietals

When it comes to coffee plant varieties, you’ll find that Ethiopia is a little different from other countries, which makes sense, considering it’s the birthplace of arabica beans. Regions in Ethiopia grow heirloom varieties that are unique to each region. Heirloom varieties are specific to certain microregions within the broader coffee regions, so you'll find that a farm in the South of Limu will use different beans to a farm in the region's North. 

Each heirloom variety is selected for its adaptability to local conditions. That's one of the reasons Ethiopian coffees have so many unique flavor profiles. This means you won't find the same named varieties as in other coffee-producing regions, like Bourbon, Caturra, etc. But these heirloom varieties are what makes Ethiopian coffee so special and exciting.

Various coffee processing methods are used in Ethiopia, but the washed method and natural processing are used most. Much depends on whether a coffee-producing region has easy access to water. For example, Sidamo and Yirgacheffe coffees are mainly wet-processed. In contrast, coffee from Harar and Jimma is mainly naturally processed, though introducing new equipment led to a shift towards wet processing. Many regions use both methods and experiment with honey processing and newer methods.

Ethiopians traditionally use a unique brewing pot called "Jebena" to brew coffee. You can try this at home if you find something similar to a Jebena, a pot (usually clay or ceramic) with a bulbous bottom, long neck, and spout. You need a coarse grind for this method. The pot is filled with water (as much as you want to serve, i.e., one cup per person) and placed over an open flame. Of course, your kitchen stove will do just fine.

Ground coffee is added to the water, and spices like cardamom or cloves are added in some traditional recipes. Bring the water to a boil and simmer the brew for a few minutes. You'll often see the coffee boiling up through the pot's neck, which gives the coffee a frothy layer. After a few minutes, the drink is ready to serve. Pour it into cups directly from the pot’s spout. In Ethiopia, it’s usually served black. But feel free to add sugar or milk if black’s too strong for you.

The French Press also allows for good extraction of coffee flavors while saving you from having ground coffee in your cup. The Italian Moka Pot is a stovetop coffee maker that isn't a direct counterpart to the Jebena but does involve brewing coffee slowly over a heat source. It will produce a strong coffee.

Turkish coffee shares some similarities with the Jebena. You're brewing very finely ground coffee with water in a pot called a cezve or ibrik. This also gives you a strong beverage. A Pour-Over Coffee and automatic filter coffee machines also work well.

Of course, you can also use your AeroPress, but you should use a slightly shorter brew time and a fine to medium grind to get Ethiopian beans' bright and fruity notes. A cold brew can also bring out Ethiopian coffee's sweetness and fruitiness. A Single-origin Ethiopian coffee can also work nicely as a base for espresso beverages like cappuccino.