Increasingly, Guji coffee is been receiving avid attention from the specialty coffee world because of its exceptional flavours. Guji, a zone of the Oromo region of Ethiopia, is located south of Sidamo, a well-known coffee region.
Both geographically and in terms of flavours, Guji coffees are distinct from the well-known lots originating in the Yirgacheffe Region just a little further north. Coffees from Guji exhibit typical Ethiopian cup characteristics, but the profile is more chocolate-spicy compared to the fruity Sidamo and Yirgacheffe lots.
Overall, the profile balances sweet, fruity notes with a hint of acidity. The small-scale farmers of Guji live in harmony with nature at an altitude of 1,800–2,300 meter above sea level. Coffee cultivation in Guji is a relatively new phenomenon compared to other regions of Ethiopia. The young coffee plants grow in mineral-rich volcanic soils a conducive environment for Arabica coffee strains.
The blazing-red cherries from the wild coffee trees are hand-picked and then brought to the washing station.
Within 24 hours, the ripe cherries are pulped in a wet mill.
Once all the sugars have broken down in the fermentation tank, the coffee is washed in long water channels.
Then the coffee are gradually sun-dried for 9 to 14 days.
The beans are turned several times a day to allow them to dry evenly.
It is well known that the way in which the coffee is dried has a direct impact on the quality and taste of this coffee.
