Ethiopia Aricha

tangerine, agave, lemon balm Producer: Small lot holders Area: Arica, Gedeo, Yirgacheffe Altitude: 1,950 meters Variety: heirloom varietals Processing: Washed Aricha is a remote community that resides in the Yirgacheffe region of the Gedeo zone of Ethiopia. They have one of the oldest traditions in the world of growing coffee here. The terrain is mountainous and rugged, which makes travel to and from the city slow and cumbersome. Most farms are about 20 minutes to an hour away from the city. Once cherries are ripened and harvested, the coffee undergoes 48-72 hours for fermentation, where they are then dried for 4-5 days before resting and final milling. Coffee is mainly intercropped with shade trees like false banana to fertilize the soil and to maintain even daily temps in the sun. We find delicious notes of tangerine, agave and lemon balm in the cup.