Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Konga Grade 1

About Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Konga Grade 1

Arrived late December in grainpro. Every once and a while a coffee comes along that we wish we could buy a lot of, but as sometimes is the case, only a lesser amount is available than we have demand for. This Konga Grade 1 from Ethiopia Yirgacheffee is one such coffee. When we sampled it, we were immediately conveyed to flavor profile of the first really impressive Yirgacheffe that we had experienced. Over the years we have had a lot of terrific Yirgacheffe examples, so there is no shortage of them. But, once and a while one just jumps out at you as being really top tier. In short, we wish we had been able to get much more of this coffee, but let's be thankful for that we were able to source.

The longer, more formal name of this coffee is Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Washed Konga Qawissa Grade 1. It is produced by 800 small farmers in the Konga Sedie village, located in the larger Gedeo zone. It is a lot comprised of mixed heirloom varieties, which are handpicked, washed, fermented and dried on raised beds with simulated shade netting for 21 days at the Adorsi-Testi Wash Station. Testi owns and operates the station as well as the exporting company. It is owned by Faysel Abdosh. Testi won the Taste of the Harvest competition in 2023 for a washed Yirgacheffe.

Coffee cherries are carefully managed while immersed in the fermentation tanks, taking great care to remove lower quality cherries prior to their placement on the raised beds. The wash station and high-altitude farms are located at elevations above 5,900 feet. In the cup look for floral notes of jasmine and orange. It is the unique spiciness, mixed with aspects of flowers, that make this coffee unique. And because it is a washed coffee, the inherent flavors do not take on the extra fruit flavors that Naturals exhibit, leaving more pure flavors of this coffee for the palate.

The Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR) who are within the larger Gedeo Zone, named after the Gedeo people. The SNNPR shares a border with Uganda to the west, Kenya to the south and the Oromia region to the east.

• Regional State: Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's Region
• Zone: Gedeo
• Woreda (District): Yirgacheffe
• Kebele (Village): Konga Sedie
• Washing Station:  Adorsi
  
• Altitude: 1800-2150 Meters above sea level
• Coffee Variety: Heirloom, Cultivars, and indigenous landraces
• Processing: Fully washed
  
• Harvest: October-January

The Adorsi Washing Station, owned and run by Testi, is very large.  It has 250 drying tables, providing some insight into the how many local producers bring their coffee to the station for processing. Adorsi, like most area washing stations, processes with both washed and natural methods. 

An aerial view of the many drying tables at the Adorsi Wash Station

Qawissa women working the washing canals. 

Testi owner Faysel Abdosh is a strong believer in working with farming communities and growing together. Testi Coffee has also invested in building a school for the community's children in the area. "We have a good relationship with our farmers", says Faysel, as he explains how he wants the farmers to see the washing stations as their own. In addition, the washing station shares profits with the farming community, providing an incentive to ever improve the quality of the coffee they bring. Also, since each community's lots are processed separately, profits find their way back to each community.

Cup Characteristics: Big, spicy aromas. Delicious classic Yirgacheffe mix of wild spices and florals. Flavors: Malty, molasses, clementine, persimmon. Also tart cherry. An exotic flavor profile with silky mouthfeel.

Roasting Notes: Full City is a nice level for this coffee, taking it up to, but not pushing beyond 2nd crack. At City+ which is slightly lighter, the floral and lemony character is preserved, but the body will be a bit reduced. Yirgacheffe coffees can be roasted a bit darker if that is your preference. The beans, being grown at high elevations, are hard and dense but the flavor range will be narrower and florals will be lost.