This particular coffee is naturally sun-dried on raised drying beds, separating it from some of their other washed varietals. Extra care is taken to select only the ripest/reddest cherries for this project. Careful hand sorting of these cherries happens during the long drying time. This extra care is what makes this coffee so remarkably clean and uniform in the cup.
The processing station Kebal Kercha is located north of the city of Yirga Cheffe in Ethiopia. Around 750 farmers grow and contribute their wares to Kebal Kercha. This is a natural processed coffee; it is dried in the sun on raised beds with the skin and pulp intact for up to six weeks.
Welcome to my Table, here in the corner of this cafe. Today we’re sipping a cup of Ethiopia Kebal Kercha, from Fratello Coffee Roasters in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Feel free to pull up a chair.
the basics:
region: Sidamo, Ethiopia
farm: Kebal Kercha micro-mill
producer: smallholder farmers
elevation: 1900 – 2000 meters above sea level
cultivars: Typica, Ethiopia Heirloom
process: natural, raised bed dried
certifications: standard
the coffee:
The aroma of the Kebal Kercha is absolutely heavenly. Fruity, savory, floral. Gorgeous scents of cherry, honey, and rose hips don’t really come booming out of the cup; rather, they waft gracefully upwards, lightly brushing the tip of the nose.
The first few sips embody the archetypal naturally-processed Ethiopia beautifully. There is a huge flavor surge right out of the gate, with big time notes of raw cocoa, honey, waffle cone, shaved almond, and graham cracker crust. All the while, juicy cherries and berries explode on the palate like fireworks—these fruits are in each sip, but I don’t really taste them until they burst right in the center of the palate, then gush over the sides of the tongue and splash into the sides of my mouth.
They resemble popping bobas, or a Fruit Gusher—they sit on the palate as a solid, then when you bite into them juicy fruits explode out of them. Same idea here applies here—I’m not really experiencing the juiciness of the fruits until they’re directly in the middle of the tongue, then they just… burst.
Maraschino cherry, strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, green grape, pear, and a sharp, tart ruby red grapefruit acidity that swirls around the whole mouth.
Full body; juicy mouthfeel; citrus acidity; clean finish.
the bottom line:
This is a very sad day, Dear Reader. Very sad, indeed. You see, the Table’s week-long romance (and what a week it’s been!) with Calgary’s Fratello Coffee Roasters has run its course. However, all’s well that ends well, and with their Ethiopia Kebal Kercha, they certainly provided me with a beautiful sendoff.
The Kerbal Kercha is somewhat uncharacteristic of a natural Ethiopian coffee. Sure, it has the fruit forwardness, a bit of the fermentation, and the flavor intensity, but this is actually a graceful, elegant coffee.
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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.