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Wate Gogogu Washed EA DECAF - Uraga - guji, ethiopia

Quick Facts

Producer: SNAP Specialty Coffees

Country: Ethiopia

Region: Uraga, Guji

Elevation: 2,160 – 2,320 m a.s.l

Variety: Dega, Kurume

Process: Washed EA Decaf

Harvest: November - January

Overview

Located in the beautiful mountainous landscapes of the highlands of Guji, Uraga is considered one of the highest-elevation coffee growing areas of Ethiopia with altitude of 2,310 meters.

This lot is comprised of deliveries from approximately 425 farmers who deliver to the Gogugu Washing Station, located in the Wate Gogugu Village of the Uraga woreda (district). The wet mill is owned and operated by SNAP Speciality Coffees.

History

SNAP Specialty Coffees

Negusse Debela has not been in the coffee industry long. He is known in Ethiopia as a computer guy, running a successful computer part import company. While coffee does not seem like a natural leap, he was inspired on trip to Minnesota in the United States, where at a café he had a truly exceptional pour-over.

Flavor Notes

Floral, Malt, Stone Fruit, Milk Chocolate

Processing Information

Washed

Ripe red cherry is selectively picked in the morning and pulped in the afternoon. It is fully washed with approximately 24-48 hours of ferment time, which yields clarity of flavor and bright acidity. The coffee is then soaked for four hours before drying on raised beds.

EA Decaf

Ethyl acetate (EA) occurs as a natural component in sugar cane, coffee, and fruit, including musk strawberries and bananas. Ethyl acetate is used in decaffeination because can extract caffeine gently and very specifically from green coffee beans. During this process, the green coffee beans are first treated with steam and the silver skin is removed. The beans' water content is increased and their structure is thus made accessible to the solvent. The caffeine is then physically extracted from the beans in several steps with the help of ethyl acetate. Finally, the remaining ethyl acetate is removed from the beans by steaming and they are dried back to their original moisture content.

This decaffeination process was completed at Coffein Compagnie in Bremen, Germany for this lot.

Regional Informaton

Uraga, Guji

Uraga is located just east of the the Gedeb woreda (district) of Yirgacheffe, over the Bule mountain ridge. The coffee farmers in Gogogu have an average 3-5 hectares of coffee, and are considered "garden" farmers which means most of their farms are located around their house, and generally are smaller than what would be considered an "estate" farm.

Credits:

Photos & information courtesy of SNAP Specialty Coffees