Ethiopia Dry Process Kercha Hebo

This coffee was processed at a private mill in the village of Hebo, Kercha Woreda, which is in the Western part of Guji Zone. The mill serves smallholder coffee farmers in the surrounding area, as well as processes coffee from their own farm nearby. The processing site sits at 2150 meters above sea level, and some of the farms reach as high as 2250 meters. The high altitude leads to some very small, dense coffee. This lot looks to be as small as 14 screen (measured as 14/64"), though I did not have any issues with beans finding their way through my Behmor grid drum. They produce both dry and wet process coffees, this being the former. The dry process method involves drying the whole coffee cherry in the sun, fruit and all. When done with care, it can be complex, fruited, and even aromatic like their washed counterparts. Special attention is given to removing coffee that is not uniformly ripe in order to create their Grade 1 lots. It requires a lot of hand labor, and helps with uniformity in the cup. At Hebo site, coffee dries for 18-21 days on raised beds, then stored in a cool warehouse where it rests for at least a month before being prepared for export. The Kercha Hebo mill is run by Gemechu Shonora, along with brothers Shebura, Morkata and Adugna. Their father worked for the local union many years ago as a coffee collector, going out into the surrounding towns buying coffee cherries from farmers.