Ethiopia, a dream destination for many, is renowned for its coffee regions. And one of the many regions that offer authentic & cultural Ethiopian coffee beans is definitely Guji!
There might be a few who don’t know about Ethiopia Guji coffee beans. Once you’ve had that delicious cup of coffee, trust me, there’s no going back.
Let’s go deep into the Guji region coffee specialties !
Story behind the region of Guji
There’s an interesting story behind the Guji region. Guji is in the southern part of Ethiopia, where the Oromo people first lived.This area is where their amazing journey across the country began centuries ago. Historians believe Guji and the Borena zone are some of the earliest places the Oromo settled. The Oromo have lived here for at least 500 years.
It is blindly believed that Oromo of Guji are descendants of a man named Gujo, whose children and grandchildren raised cattle in the area. Today, most people in Guji are still Oromo, but others from different parts of Ethiopia have moved here, drawn by the rich, fertile land.
The Guji people were originally cattle herders, but now less than one percent are still herding cattle. Most have become farmers, working the land with as much care and passion as their ancestors. Despite the changes, the region keeps its rural spark, with only about ten percent of the people living in urban areas.
Farming in Guji is something special. The region’s untouched forests have made the soil so fertile, perfect for growing coffee and other crops. Farmers here often don’t need to use chemical fertilizers because, as one coffee farmer said, ‘The default here is organic.’ Imagine farming in a place where the land itself is so rich and pure—it feels like a gift from nature!
Coffee processing methods: A Sneak peek
How many coffee processing methods do you know? Do you know which coffee processing methods are used in the Guji region of Ethiopia? Let’s take a sneak peek at some of the popular methods in the region.
Natural / washed coffee process
The terms ‘washed’ and ‘natural’ describe how coffee cherries are handled after they’re picked from the tree. In the washed process, the cherries are washed with water to remove their outer skin and pulp before they’re left to ferment. This method is loved for bringing out the coffee’s bright and clear flavors.
Now, in the natural coffee process, things get a bit wild! Instead of washing, the cherries are dried whole with their skins on. This allows the flavors from the fruit to seep into the beans, giving them a fruity and sometimes wild taste. Natural process beans are often sweeter and have a more complex coffee flavor profile compared to washed beans.
At the Guji Highland Coffee Plantation, workers carefully remove unripe cherries and debris. This is to make sure they are of high-quality. After drying and hulling, they sort the beans by hand for color and size. Machines then sort the beans by density, and scanners check for defects and discolorations. Finally, the beans are polished to remove the silver skin, which helps prevent extra chaff during roasting.
Our Personal Journey Through Guji Coffee
Exploring Guji’s coffee region was an amazing experience that made us blend fast in Ethiopia’s coffee culture. We met passionate farmers and enjoyed tasting specialty coffee beans full of flavors. The washed beans had a bright, lemony taste, while the natural beans offered fruity and sweet coffee tasting notes. Each cup told a story of farming and processing that brings out Guji’s unique qualities.
Walking through the coffee farms, we saw how farmers grow single-origin Arabica coffee beans using organic methods. These practices not only make the coffee taste great but also help the environment. Joining traditional coffee ceremonies, we learned about the deep cultural importance of coffee in Guji.
The friendly welcome we received showed us the region. Our journey through Guji was a real exploration of Ethiopia’s celebrated coffee tradition. We recommend everyone to visit the place at least once to explore and find beauty in the Guji region. It’s undoubtedly worth the visit!