Ethiopia is known as the country that founded coffee. Many legends say that the origin of the coffee started when a goat herder from Ethiopia found out that his goats became more energetic whenever the eat the cherry of the coffee plant. From that point on, the word about coffee started to spread on its neighboring countries, and eventually to the whole world. Even though Ethiopia might not be the top supplier of coffee beans as of today, but they still have a reputation that’s renowned as gourmet coffee or boutique coffee across the world because of the quality of their coffee beans.
Read about South American coffee beans.
The secret of the Ethiopia coffee bean quality is not because of their harvesting or roasting method, but because of the geography of the country. In this article, we are going to take a bit of a tour to the remote regions of Ethiopia that has met the growing conditions needed for their coffee beans to achieve the world-class quality that made is distinctive, and as to why this country became one of the world’s top suppliers until now.
There are three known regions in Ethiopia where the quality coffee beans are grown: Genika, Harrar, and Sidamo. This is what are are going to discuss in full detail, as well as the different types of coffee beans available to harvest in the area.
Sidamo
The Sidamo region in Ethiopia is located at the far southern regions of the country. It boasts some of the most famous types of coffee bean strains found in the country. One of the most famous strains they have is the Yirgacheffe. The coffee beans grown in the region is known to be very distinctive due to its citrus-like notes that made it aromatic. If you ask about this Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee beans in the region, they will immediately let you know where to buy these and where these are grown.
Another strain of the coffee bean is the Guji coffee bean. The Guji strain is known to be identical to the Ethiopian Yirgacheffe beans because of its appearance and citrusy notes. The citrusy flavor of the coffee bean is reminiscent of lemon.
The secret why they have such aromatic coffee beans is because of the altitude of the farms where they are grown. With an estimated elevation level of 1,500 to 2,000 meters above. The area is known to have very healthy soil that sill surely keep the world-class quality of the coffee beans.
This is why the coffee beans of the Sidamo region is known to be SHG, or Strictly Hard
Grown, because of the slow growth of the coffee beans. It’s also known to be very healthy, as it’s rich in antioxidants which is why it’s highly in-demand. Because of this, the coffee bean sold in this area is very expensive, and is often regarded as a luxury item.
Genika
This is the region where the popular Arabica coffee beans are grown. Most of the coffee being sold here are the Arabica beans, making it a famous spot for tourists if they want to stop to get some fine coffee. The district where you can get the Arabica beans is in Guraferda. That’s why the locals there also call the Arabica beans as Ethiopia Guraferda because of the location where it is popularly found by many poeple.
The geography of the Genika region is rich with rainforests and what’s known as “coffee forests”, which are lands filled with rich coffee trees. They also grow what’s called as “grey coffee beans” because of the wine and chocolate-like notes, along with a floral aroma, which many consider as the healthy variant than the Arabica, which focuses more on flavor.
Harrar Area
The Harrar region is the most historical when it comes to coffee because it has served as a breeding ground for a wide number of coffee bean varieties for several decades, and perhaps even centuries! The Harrar region is found at the far Eastern area of the country, and is composed of highlands. Thus, the altitude offered by the region makes it perfect as a growing area for some of the best coffee beans that you can ever get. In fact, they have their own local variety that’s famous around the world, particularly for coffee enthusiasts.
The coffee beans here are often called as Harrar as well, since it can only be grown at the same region. Just like the ones in Genika, the Harrar coffee beans here are known to be quite fragrant, and possesses fruity notes that makes it refreshing as a drink.
These are the areas that you must visit if you are raring to get some Ethiopian coffee not just because they can make the best quality varieties there. Remember that due to fair trading policy, expect that you can get these at a lower price if you visit the actual regions themselves. In that way, you can indulge for world-class coffee at a price that’s fit for your travel money!
Read more about Ethiopian coffee beans or how to make coffee whipped cream.
