Vagrant Coffee popped up on my radar over the Summer thanks, in large part, to the many articles and social media posts about noteworthy black owned coffee roasters to support. When I checked out their website, the Ethiopia Tega & Tula really caught my eye.
Ethiopia Tega & Tula is named for the Tega & Tula Specialty Coffee Farm; which in turn is named after the two nearby villages of – you guessed it -Tega and Tula. These villages arein the woreda, or district, of Gibo, in Keffa, Ethiopia.
The farm is 500 hectares in size, with nearly 400 hectares planted in coffee. The crop is composed of primarily Ethiopian varieties and cultivars that were released in the late 1970s (74110 and 74112, for example, are the “names” of two of these cultivars from 1978), in addition to some wild coffee from the Keffa forests, as the farm is located in the Keffa bio-reserve area.
After picking, the coffee is depulped the same day, then fermented underwater for 36 hours. It is washed in canals, then spends 16–18 hours in a soaking tank before being spread on drying tables.
THEBASICS
region: Bonga, Gibo, Keffa, Ethiopia
farm: Tega & Tula Special Coffee Farm
producer: smallholder farmers
association: Kyagalanyi Coffee
elevation: 1693 – 1860 meters above sea level
cultivars: Wild Keffa Forest Coffee, 74110, 7411, 74140, 75227, 7454, 74165
process: Fully Washed, Raised Bed Dried
TASTINGNOTES
The aroma of the Ethiopia Tega & Tula is pretty complex, with some really interesting nuances. Chocolate, blueberry, and wisps of florals are all present.
In the cup, the coffee’s flavor is as complex and interesting as its aroma. It’s a medium-bodied coffee, with a soft, juicy mouthfeel. Up front, it presents with the sweetness of milk chocolate and blueberry muffin. Specifically blueberry muffin. As the coffee cools, tart lemon acidity and juicy melon emerge, while jasmine tea plays through a long, lingering finish.
FINALTHOUGHTS
Vagrant Coffee’s Ethiopia Tega & Tula is a dynamic and complex cup of coffee that took a few cuppings to really get. Just when I thought I had it, the profile would shift again. As complex as it is, though, it’s moreover a really tasty cup of coffee.
This coffee gets my full recommendation.
What were your thoughts of this one? Comments, questions, and suggestions are always welcome! Contact me, or enter a comment below.
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.