Ethiopia Guji Kercha G2 Natural 2021

About the Coffee
The Oromo people of the Guji region have their own origin story for the discovery of coffee; that’s how deeply woven the crop is within their culture. Instead of Kaldi the goat herder, the Oromo sky god Waaqa brought forth a new plant from the earth with his tears that were shed over the wrongful death of a loyal servant. From as early as the 10th century, coffee has been present in Oromo culture as a special plant that provided energy when the beans were mixed with fats and eaten on long journeys.

Centuries later, farmers in Guji still follow traditional growing methods that complement the incredibly fertile soil there. Because there is so much nutrition in the land, coffee is grown organically, although most are not certified as such. Many landrace varieties are still thriving on Ethiopia’s coffee farms, intercropped with maize, barley, wheat, beans, and other crops that provide food for the family.

Guji coffee distinguishes itself from Yirgacheffe and Sidamo profiles with complex-yet-balanced cups that work beautifully as espresso or filter brews. This natural G2 coffee was sourced in partnership with Nardos Coffee Export, a third-generation family-run business in Addis Ababa with farming roots in the Oromia region. The smallholders that came together to produce this lot grow Wolichu (74158) and Kudhume (74112) heirloom varieties at 1980 masl, sun-drying the cherries for 12-18 days to develop sweet flavors and smooth body in the final cup.