March’s MistoBox included a sample from California-based roastery, Barefoot Coffee—their Guatemala Palo Blanco Select, which proved to be one of my favorite coffees of the year, thus far.
As it turns out, my review of that coffee turned out to a favorite of theirs, and they graciously thanked me for the kind words by sending me a care package that included four more coffees and even a bottle of their cold brew!
Such generosity is seldom seen, and before I go any further, I’d like to express my many thanks to the folks at Barefoot for theirs. You guys rock.
Welcome to my Table, here in the corner of this cafe. Today we’re sipping a cup of Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Kochere, from Barefoot Coffee Roasters in San Jose, California. Feel free to pull up a chair.
The cooperative consists of about 500 smallholder farmers in the Kochere region of southern Ethiopia. The Kochere cooperative uses shared wet mills to process their coffee, where it is washed and then dried on elevated drying beds.
The Kochere micro-region has long been known as one of the best origins for fully washed southern Ethiopian coffees. In fact, thirty percent of all coffee bearing the Yirgacheffe name comes from this specific area. The combination of very high altitude and iron-rich, acidic soil creates the ideal growing situation to produce the bright, floral Yirgacheffe profile.
the basics:
origin: Kochere, Chalalacktu, Oromia, Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia
farm: Kochere Cooperative
elevation: 1850 meters above sea level
cultivars: Heirloom
process: fully washed, raised bed dried
certifications: Direct Trade
the coffee:
Immediately post-brew, the coffee is reminiscent of a Central American cup’s profile—particularly with the flavors present. It has a light body and a floral mouthfeel, as it delicately brushes against and tickles the palate with flavors of orange blossom and a dusting of macadamia.
As the cups begins its cool-down, the coffee remains very fine and lightly flavored, but the body of the coffee gains just a little more weight as it adopts a light molasses mouthfeel; the blackberry and raspberry hue of the flavor makes it more akin to a light loganberry jam. Blood orange acidity breaks the crust of the cup, spilling over the palate and washing away the macadamia flavoring. Tea-like aromatics and flavor present themselves in the finish, and before I even realize it… my cup is empty.
Light body; light molasses mouthfeel; citrus acidity; clean finish.
the bottom line:
Barefoot Coffee Roasters’s Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Kochere is the epitome of grace and delicacy. It is lightly bodied and lightly flavored, resembling an herbal tea more than an Ethiopian coffee.
In order to bring the flavors out a bit more, and to make the experience a little more enjoyable, I recommend grinding slightly finer and brewing with the Chemex—that will make it a bit more concentrated while still ensuring that the coffee retains its gracefulness.
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Andrew is a husband, father, dog lover, craft beverage enthusiast, content creator, and niche market Internet celebrity. Formerly of A Table in the Corner of the Cafe and The Pulitzer Project and contributor to Barista Magazine and Mental Floss, he’s been writing on the Internet for years.