If you’re a coffee lover, Ethiopian coffee is a must-try. But with so many choices, where do you start? This guide will help you understand the Ethiopian coffee bean types, the best beans, their flavours, roasting methods, and the regions where they’re grown.
Ethiopian Coffee beans flavour profiles: Are they worth the hype?
Ethiopian coffee is well-known for its bright, fruity, and floral flavors. It usually has complex tastes, a light to medium body, and higher acidity. The processing method affects the final taste a lot.
There are three main types of Ethiopian Arabica beans. Let’s see the ethiopian coffee bean classification
- Longberry: The largest and top quality.
- Shortberry: Smaller but still excellent.
- Mocha: Smaller with a diverse flavour, a bit of acidity, spice, and chocolate hints.
Types of Coffee Beans in Ethiopia
Ethiopia’s different landscapes, heights, and many types of coffee plants, including heirlooms, lead to a wide range of Ethiopian coffee bean flavours. Because of these varieties of Ethiopian coffee beans, coffee buyers usually classify Ethiopian coffees by the region they come from, the altitude, and the taste quality, instead of the specific plant type.
Here are the main types of coffee beans in Ethiopia, recognized by the region they are grown in.
Sidamo
In the highlands of the Rift Valley, there’s a big area called Sidamo, which is one of Ethiopia’s main coffee regions. It sits between 1,550 and 2,200 meters above sea level and gets plenty of rain and has good soil.
About 60% of the coffee here is washed and processed. Sidamo coffees are known for being rich, with a full body, lively acidity, and flavours of flowers and citrus. And the most traditional Ethiopian coffee types.
Sidamo is one of Ethiopia’s biggest coffee-growing regions, producing lots of consistently good coffee every year.
Here’s a simple breakdown of Sidamo coffee:
- Where it’s grown: In the highlands of the Rift Valley.
- Growing altitude: Between 1,500 and 2,220 meters above sea level.
- Type of coffee plant: Traditional Ethiopian varieties.
- Harvest time: October to January.
- How it’s processed: Fully washed and dried on raised beds.
- Smell: Flowery, with a hint of wood.
- Taste: Like lemon, sugarcane, and berries.
- Texture: Medium-bodied and smooth.
- Acidity: A bit like wine.
Yirgecheffe
Yirgacheffe is a special area within the Sidamo region, known for its exceptional coffee. Most of the coffee here is washed and processed, but some are natural.
The coffee’s characteristics change depending on the elevation. For example, coffee from lower areas has a herbal aroma, while coffee from higher areas has a flowery aroma.
Yirgacheffe coffee is known for its sweet flavour and smell, with a light to medium body. It’s spicy, fragrant, and often considered one of the best coffees globally. Despite being pricey, it’s still a better value compared to other high-end coffees like Hawaiian Kona and Jamaican Blue Mountain.
Here’s a simple breakdown of Yirgacheffe coffee:
- Where it’s grown: A special area within the Sidamo region.
- Growing altitude: Between 1,700 and 2,200 meters above sea level.
- Type of coffee plant: Traditional Ethiopian varieties.
- Harvest time: October to December.
- How it’s processed: Washed and sun-dried.
- Smell: Floral and sweet.
- Taste: Complex, fruity, with hints of tea and lemon.
- Certification: Available as regular or Fair Trade Organic certified.
Harrar
Harrar coffee is a special type of wild Arabica grown on small farms in the Oromia region of southern Ethiopia. It grows at elevations between 1,400 and 2,000 meters and is usually processed naturally.
Harrar coffee is known for its strong flavor and fruity acidity. It’s rich and intense, with hints of blueberry or blackberry. Some say it’s like dry, red wine. It’s often used in espresso blends because of its boldness.
Here’s a simple breakdown of Harrar coffee:
- Where it’s grown: In the Oromia region of southern Ethiopia.
- Growing altitude: Between 1,400 and 2,000 meters above sea level.
- Type of coffee plant: Wild Ethiopian varieties.
- Harvest time: October through February.
- How it’s processed: Naturally processed and sun-dried.
- Smell: Berry, earthy, chocolate.
- Taste: Like typical mocha flavor, with strong blueberry and blackberry notes.
- Body: Heavy.
Djimmah
Djimmah coffee is grown in the Illubabor and Kaffa regions of southwest Ethiopia, at elevations of 4,400 to 6,000 feet. When wet processed (washed), it’s a great low-acid coffee. However, if it’s dry processed (natural), it can have an undesirable medicinal flavor.
This region is a major producer of commercial-grade coffee. Djimmah coffee, also spelled Jimma, grows at altitudes of 1,400 to 2,100 meters. It’s best when washed and can taste medicinal if naturally processed.
Ghimbi
Ethiopian Ghimbi coffee comes from the western part of Ethiopia and is processed using the wet (washed) method. This coffee has a heavier and fuller body compared to Harrar coffee. It’s also more balanced, meaning it has a well-rounded taste that lasts longer.
Ghimbi coffee is famous for its complex flavors, which means you can taste different notes in each sip. It also has a rich, sharp acidity, giving it a bright and lively taste.
Limu
Limu coffee is grown in southwest Ethiopia at elevations of 3,600 to 6,200 feet. It is a high-quality, wet-processed (washed) coffee with relatively low acidity, but it still has a bit of sharpness.
Limu and Djimmah coffees are both from western Ethiopia, but Limu is wet processed, while Djimmah is dry processed. Limu and Sidamo coffees can be quite similar in flavor.
Limu coffee has a well-balanced body and noticeable winey and spicy flavors. It is pleasantly sweet, vibrant, and often has floral notes.
Lekemte
Lekempti coffee is grown in the Ghimbi and Wollega regions of Ethiopia, at heights between 4,900 and 5,900 feet. This coffee is known for its pleasant acidity, giving it a bright and lively taste. It has a full, rich body, similar to the well-known Ethiopian Harrar Longberry coffee.
In addition to its smooth body and balanced acidity, Lekempti coffee has a unique fruity flavor that makes it stand out. This subtle fruitiness adds an extra layer of complexity to the coffee, making it enjoyable for those who appreciate the diverse Ethiopian coffee bean profiles.