Ethiopia, the largest coffee producer in Africa and third in the world in Arabica production, is recognized as the birthplace of coffee. Its coffee traditions, from growing to brewing, are virtually untouched and remain at the heart of the culture. Coffee drinking has been part of Ethiopian life for centuries—an elaborate ceremony that includes roasting, grinding, and brewing the coffee is still a staple of social life today, a tradition that deserves our respect and appreciation.
Yirgacheffe, a small region in Southern Ethiopia, is a hidden gem for high-quality coffee. Despite its size, Yirgacheffe's coffee is highly prized for its exceptional quality and unique flavor profile. The region's producers, often cultivating 'coffee gardens' with farms of 0.5-1.5 hectares, interplant their coffee with other cash crops like bananas, adding a distinct flavor to the coffee. Over 43,000 coffee producers in Yirgacheffe cultivate around 62,000 hectares of land over 2,000 meters above sea level, producing some of the most sought-after coffee in the world.
All Ethiopian specialty coffees are graded based on the number of defects allowed in a sample. The grading system distinguishes between Grade 1 and Grade 2 primarily by defect count, with Grade 1 having a higher quality expectation. Grade 1 coffees have less than five secondary defects per 350g sample, while grade 2 can have up to 13 secondary defects per 350g sample. This grading system ensures that buyers can make informed decisions about the coffee quality they purchase.
Download Yirgacheffe Aricha Grade 1 Natural Info Sheet
