Ethiopia Guji Shakiso Samana G2 Washed 2024

Ethiopia Guji Shakiso Green Coffee

Guji is a unique coffee region that sets itself apart from neighboring areas like Yirgacheffe and Sidama with distinct coffee varieties native to the landscape and a balanced, complex flavor profile that comes with them. It’s a rural location, but despite its accessibility challenges, woredas (districts) in Guji like Shakiso have still made names for themselves in the global market with a reputation for fantastic coffees.

The Sawana Washing Station, at 1,800 to 2,200masl, is a prominent hub for processing Shakiso green coffee, whether it’s with the natural or washed process. The coffee cherries for this lot were sourced from smallholders in the community.

How is coffee graded in Ethiopia?

In Ethiopia, coffee is graded based on both its physical quality and cup profile, using a system from Grades 1 to 9, with Grades 1 and 2 representing the highest-quality specialty coffee. Physical grading assesses bean size, shape, color, and defects, while cup quality focuses on sensory attributes like aroma, flavor, acidity, and body.

Coffee is also classified by its region of origin, such as Sidama, Guji or Yirgacheffe. The unique terroir of these regions can strongly influence the coffee’s flavor profile. Additionally, coffees are distinguished by processing methods (eg - washed and natural processes) which yield different cup characteristics.

Washed Process Green Coffee from Ethiopia

Ethiopian green coffee is renowned for its vibrant fruit and floral flavors, characterized by exceptional acidity and sweetness. Among the many coffee-growing districts in the country, Yirgacheffe, Sidama, and Guji are particularly noted for their unique cup profiles.

After coffee cherries are delivered to the Sawana Washing Station, they’re carefully sorted and floated to remove any defects, ensuring only the highest quality cherries make it through. The cherries are pulped and fermented for 26-32 hours, then washed and further sorted before being laid out to dry on raised beds.

It takes 10-14 days for the beans to reach their optimal moisture level, and they constantly have to be turned and raked to maintain drying consistency and quality. The beds are also covered every day between 12-3pm to protect the delicate coffee beans from the sun, and again at night as a barrier against humidity. With so much attention to detail, that’s how producers at Sawana can achieve the floral, green tea, lime, and white grape flavors with a clean, cane sugar sweetness in this washed green coffee from Shakiso.

Ethiopian Coffee History

Ethiopian coffee goes way back—so far, it predates written history! Arabica coffee plants are native to Ethiopia, and coffee consumption has played a symbolic role in local culture for centuries before coffee was adopted as the global go-to beverage. Most Ethiopian coffee producers are smallholders who use traditional cultivation, harvesting, and processing methods, often without chemical fertilizers or pesticides.

Although the historical infrastructure of bringing Ethiopian coffee to market made full traceability difficult, new regulations have allowed farmers to apply for export licenses and sell their coffee directly. The new system, introduced in 2017, empowers Ethiopian coffee farmers to have more control over their part in the supply chain and be fairly compensated for their efforts in quality coffee production. Read more in our Ethiopian Coffee Origin Report.