Basha Bekele - Ethiopia, Red Honey process

KIYALO – Citrus fruit flavours with notes of orchard fruits and floral teas Origin: Ethiopia Region: Bombe, Sidama Producer: Various smallholder producers Varieties: Heirloom & Landrace Process: Red Honey Altitude: 2,100–2,200 masl Drying: Shaded drying beds Flavour Notes: Orange zest, honey, yellow plum This coffee comes from Bombe kebele in the Bensa district of Sidama, Ethiopia, a high-elevation region known for coffees with clarity, vibrant acidity, and layered sweetness. Grown at 2,100–2,200 meters, this lot is produced from heirloom and landrace varieties delivered by local smallholder farmers to the Basha Bekele washing station. What makes this coffee special is its red honey process. Processing begins when ripe cherries are delivered to the Basha Bekele washing station in West Sidama. Upon arrival, the cherries are placed in float tanks to remove lower-density and defective fruit, allowing only the best cherries to continue. For this lot, the outer skin is partially removed while a significant amount of mucilage is intentionally left on the parchment. Unlike a fully washed coffee, this sticky, sugar-rich layer remains with the coffee during drying. This remaining mucilage is what gives the process its “honey” name, and it plays an important role in building the coffee’s sweetness, texture, and fruit-forward character. After depulping, the honey-processed beans are carefully spread on open-air drying tables and naturally sun-dried until they gradually reach the ideal moisture level. Once dried, the coffee is bagged, transported to a regional processing mill, then shipped to Addis Ababa for final export preparation. In the cup, this coffee is bright, sweet, and rounded, with notes of orange zest, honey, and yellow plum. The citrus aroma gives the coffee lift, while the honey-like sweetness and soft stone-fruit character create a clean, smooth finish.