Etiopien Idido Anaerobic

About This Coffee

Small family farms located at 1,960–2,090 meters altitude deliver their freshly picked coffee cherries to Idido Washing Station in Yirgacheffe – a historic coffee-growing region whose unique microclimate offers optimal conditions for coffee production. In this microlot, the fresh coffee cherries are tightly packed in GrainPro bags to ferment anaerobically (without oxygen) for 18 to 24 hours. This process promotes specific microbial interactions that develop an elegant and fruity coffee, with clear notes of berries, sweet fruit and caramel. After fermentation, the cherries are carefully rinsed and then dried in direct sunlight on raised drying beds, a process that takes about three weeks. The result is a coffee with a rich and sweet character, where flavors of mandarin, peach, milk chocolate, mango and yellow raspberries emerge. BACKGROUND TO THE COFFEE: Idido Washing Station is located at an altitude of 1,960 to 2,090 meters above sea level in Yirgacheffe. Local farmers deliver coffee cherries grown in the surrounding region. The clearly defined rainy and dry seasons provide ideal conditions for coffee processing. Farming methods in the region are still largely traditional. In Yirgacheffe, farmers usually grow coffee together with other food crops – a common method among smallholders, as it maximizes land use and provides food for their families. In addition to traditional mixed farming, most farms are also organic by default. Farmers in Yirgacheffe rarely use fertilizers or pesticides, if at all. Most of the work on the farm is done manually by close family members. To take full advantage of the region's exceptional climate, the washing station offers training to help farmers improve the quality of their coffee cherries. These courses focus on best practices for harvesting and transporting coffee cherries. The farmers selectively pick ripe coffee cherries by hand and deliver them to the washing station. Upon arrival, staff visually inspect the cherries and only accept those that are fully ripe for anaerobic fermentation. The selected cherries are tightly packed in GrainPro bags and sealed to create an oxygen-free environment. They are then fermented anaerobically for 18 to 24 hours. After fermentation, the cherries are carefully removed from the bags and spread out in direct sunlight on raised drying beds. Workers turn the cherries regularly. ABOUT THE YIRGACHEFFE REGION: Yirgacheffe is a district in the Sidamo region of southern Ethiopia. It is widely regarded as one of the birthplaces of coffee, and the area is often regarded as its own unique micro-region within Ethiopia's coffee landscape. Most of the coffee grown in Yirgacheffe consists of local indigenous varieties, commonly referred to as Ethiopian heirloom varieties. Most farmers in Yirgacheffe cultivate less than five hectares of land – many measure their farms by the number of coffee trees rather than area. Farming methods are still largely traditional, and coffee is usually grown in integrated “coffee gardens” and in mixed cultivation with other food crops to maximize land use and support household food security. THE TASTY COFFEE VARIETIES FROM ETHIOPIA: The exceptional quality of Ethiopian coffee is the result of a unique combination of factors. Firstly, the country's rich genetic diversity of coffee varieties leads to an incredible variation of flavors – even among crops with similar growing conditions and processing methods. In addition to genetics, the processing techniques used also play an important role in shaping the final taste. Equally important are Ethiopia's long-standing traditions in coffee cultivation. These methods have not only preserved and expanded coffee's genetic diversity, but have also created the processing infrastructure and cultural expertise that continues to produce the outstanding coffees we enjoy today.