The coffee at Biftu Gudina is processed using the washed method. At the washing station, cherries are sorted by hand for unripes and overripes prior to going into production. A Penagos eco-pulper is used to pulp the coffee cherries. Afterwards the beans are soaked in clean water in concrete tanks for 8 hours. The beans are then sun dried for 10 days on raised african drying beds and carefully hand sorted again.
Biftu Gudina has a strong leadership and chairman who together with Technoserve established the cooperative. They have also a rather innovative way of shareholding, as one farmer can access and purchase more shares. Their waste water treatment is done through a vetiver grass plot, naturally filtrating the water before it goes into the pits and finally the ground.*
THEDETAILS:
region: Agaro, Goma, Jimma, Oromia, Ethiopia
farm: N/A
producer: smallholder farmers
association: Biftu Gudina Cooperative
elevation: 1975 meters above sea level
cultivars: Ethiopia Heirloom
process: fully washed, raised bed dried
certifications: standard
CUPPINGNOTES:
The aroma of this Ethiopia Biftu Gudina is wonderful; fragrant, perfumed, and winy. Loads of berries and citrus come exploding out of the cup while a bouquet of floral aromatics flourish throughout.
Right out of the gate, this coffee’s flavor is as explosive as its aroma. It is a pretty full-bodied coffee, made to feel even more fully-bodied by its dense, supple, molasses-like mouthfeel. Again, I’m finding a massive berry bomb in the cup; a medley of mixed berries (strawberry, raspberry, and blackberry), coupled with the coffee’s supple texture, makes for a flavor note reminiscent of berry jam and, again, there’s that bouquet of floral aromatics (rose petal, honeysuckle, orange blossom). But there’s a lot more going on in this cup; juicy fruits like red grape, plum, raisin, black currant, honeycrisp apple, and a tangy tangerine acidity flood over the palate, in addition to the sweetness of molasses and brown sugar. There’s even a red wine tannin element to this coffee, which gives it a mildly dry finish.
Full body; supple mouthfeel; citric acidity; dry finish.
FINALTHOUGHTS:
From the very first sip to the last drop, Eastlick Coffee Ethiopia Biftu Gudina is absolutely stunning. A bright, fruity coffee with a voluptuously supple full body that envelops the tongue and entices the taste buds.
This is another one of those Ethiopian coffees that could have been served in a wine glass; one that showcases how complex, elegant, and fine coffees can be. I can’t recommend this one highly enough.
*content courtesy of by Melbourne Coffee Merchants
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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.