ETHIOPIA: Washed v/s Natural

In today’s specialty coffee industry, quality is everything. It has the power of giving our clients pleasure and satisfaction through sensorial appreciation; rules the sale price of a certain lot; and it is also key to generate a significant economic impact back at the origin.
The quality we get in our coffee selection at Kilimanjaro Specialty Coffees, is the result of the extraordinary hard work done at every step of the productive chain by many hands. This quality reaches its peak at the moment of the harvest, followed by limitless efforts to maintain that quality until it reaches your roastery.
INTRODUCTION
Washed coffees were introduced in Western Ethiopia in 2009, before there were no washing stations in the area. Since 2009 the number of washing stations has grown rapidly.
WHICH PROCESSING METHOD ARE YOU DOING THE MOST TODAY?
Until today, approximately 75% of the total coffee production in Ethiopia is Sundried or Natural. But we expect in the future the proportion will shift to washed coffees.
WHAT IS THE ADVANTAGE FOR FARMERS TO START PRODUCING WASHED COFFEES?
The main advantage for a farmer in producing washed coffees, will be saving time and effort, because they will just deliver the cherries to the washing station, get paid and go home. Instead of doing all the hard work that producing high-quality sundried coffees required.
HOW IS THE SPECIALTY COFFEE MARKET INFLUENCING PROCESSING DECISIONS FOR FARMERS?
Some investors who have big coffee farms are only doing sundried, because they can sell it at equal price than the washed coffees. So, if they can find a sustainable market, that pay good prices for high quality naturals, why they will go to a washing station?
Although producing washed coffees has an environmental impact, when the volume of the farmer’s production increases, he must switch to washed processing. Because to produce 1 kg of parchment, 5 kg of red cherry are needed, so that help to relief the farmer from a lot of extra work. It is also easier for a washing station to get loans from banks, than it is for sundried processing farmers.
Tell us in the comments below, which one is your favourite processing method, and enjoy your Ethiopian Coffee!

[@silayinudabala]

I really appreciate the one who explain specially about speciality coffee process. B/c our farmers still spend his time,energy and so on to process his small land coffee

[@kilimanjarospecialtycoffees]

Thanks very much for your work

[@evankirchmer]

Ethiopian coffee is my favorite!🦁

[@kilimanjarospecialtycoffees]

Ours too 😉🍒🔥🤟🏿

[@scottgust9709]

Sundried gives best body and flavor, water is faster and gives more aroma but less flavor....its all about flavor so sundried is best.

[@kilimanjarospecialtycoffees]

It depends on what you like the most. Someone else might prefer washed coffees 🙂

[@danielamante8987]

Sundried is the best coffee in the world I think mocca is very good a must try if u ask me

[@athenasblueprint]

Natural process can have a lot more flavor but that can be undesirable to people like me with sensitive taste. I love most Ethiopian coffees at lighter roasts for all the juicy fruit flavors but it can be very overpowering no matter how you brew it especially if it's freshly roasted and ground. I had to let mine degas for a couple WEEKS before I could enjoy it for more than a few sips.