Summary

We were only able to snag a few bags of this high-end lot from Sidamo. It's pretty special with some really unique Ethiopian flavor traits due to its higher growth elevation. 

 

Wash Station: Shanta Golba Washplant 

Variety:  Ethiopian Heirloom

Region: Sidamo, Ethiopia 

Altitude: 1,950 - 2,500 meters

Process: Washed, Sun Dried

Roast Level: Medium

 

Details

Shanta Golba is a washing station in the Bensa region of Sidama Ethiopia, closeby to Daye Bensa Village. Coffee here is harvested November through January. Over 1200 small-holder farmers deliver coffee to this washing station. In addition to coffee, most farmers also grow Enset, Banana, Organges, and have various other indigenous natural shade trees covering the property.

Shanta Golba uses strict ripe cherry specifications and typically only uses the middle to end of harvest for the highest grades as these are typically the highest elevation coffees. Coffee usually dries for roughly 18 days here due to the use of natural shade trees over the raised beds.

Coffees in Ethiopia are typically grown on very small plots of land by farmers who also grow other crops. The majority of smallholders will deliver their coffee in cherry to a nearby washing station or central processing unit, where their coffee will be sorted, weighed, and paid for or given a receipt. Coffee is then processed, usually washed or natural, by the washing station and dried on raised beds.

Coffees in Ethiopia are typically traceable to the washing station level: The average producer here delivers their cherry to the washing station, where it is blended with other producers' deliveries and processed as necessary. The Natural coffees are dried on raised beds that are 25 meters long. Drying takes 15–20 days, weather depending.