Filter (Mr. Bekele Gemeda)
This is one of my favourite washed Ethiopians from Melbourne this year.
After stacking up on African coffees these past few months I thought it was time to move on—until a spontaneous visit to Maker Lt Bourke changed my mind.
I was there with my family, and we ordered two milkies and a double espresso. Aya, who was working that day, kindly gave us a sample of their washed Ethiopian from Bekele Gemeda, and just like that, I’m hooked again.
Straight it was everything I loved about washed ethiopians. It was super floral delicate yet still high in both acidity and sweetness.
Dry aroma: its super flroal with clear notes of jasmine and a little bit of stone fruits
Wet aroma: has a little bit of apricot but still dominated by jasmine
Taste: It's clear this one shines in both acidity and sweetness (the reason I bought the coffee). It's got a clear but pleasant kick of acidity with a confectionery sweetness balancing it out that constantly lingers. It’s not at all bitter and has a silky, tea-like texture.
At Maker the acidity was as high as the sweetness but at home due to pure preference I tried to sacrifice a little bit of the acidity for its sweetness (note: I have only cupped this once and brewed it two times as I wanted this out as soon as possible).
My Recipe:
constants for this brew:
dripper: origami air
Grinder and grind size: 1zpresso zp6 at 4.5
Water: Soft melbourne tap water through a new Brita
Ratio: 15g to 250 out 1:16.7
Temp: 93 degreees celcius
Silverskin blown away
next pour starts when water drains (besides first pour that depends on bloom time)
1st: 45g/150g/250g (45s bloom)
quick saturation for 45g with fast pour
slow flow rate with just cirlce pours for both 2nd and 3rd pour.
brewtime: 2:45s
this lacked acidity, had a bit of a burnt peach taste but still super sweet. as it cooled however the bitterness creeped back in and was really empty with the acidity.
2nd: 45g/150g/250g (40s bloom)
quick saturation for 45g with fast pour
medium flow rate with circle pour up to 100g then until 150g centre pour
then slow flow rate with circle pour up to 225g then until 250g centre pour
brewtime: 2:35s
this was much better. It was silky had lots of clarity with all 3 notes on the bad clearly coming out (Peach, jasmine, and confectiornery citrus). This brew had the acidity I wanted. It had less acidity than the one at Maker Lt Bourke but more than the last brew. With a pleasant balanced acidity with super high lingering sweetness and no bitterness this was amazing. It cooled well too with more sweetness coming out but the texture did become a little empty.
(again yes I changed lots of variables at once but I really wanted this out quick as Maker tends to rotate their lineup really often)
I’m loving Ethiopian coffees this year. While some Melbourne roasters can be hit or miss, this one from Maker is a standout hit.
Roaster’s Remarks:
Origin: Ethiopia Worka Halo Beriti
Producer: Bekele Gemeda
Variety: Heirloom
Altitude: 1780-2100 MASL
Process: Washed
Tasting note: Peach, Jasmine, Confectionery Citrus
Discover the delicate taste of of this coffee from Halo Beriti, Ethiopia. With hints of mild peach, jasmine, and citrus. Experience the balanced and refreshing malic acidity and sweet candy-like flavours.
This particular lot is produced by Mr. Bekele Gemeda in the village of Worka in Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia. Mr. Bekele Gemeda is a resident of Worka, located 13 kilometers from Gedeb town. He owns a 6.5 hectare coffee farm in one area and another 3 hectares in a different section of the village. He dedicates his full time to managing his farm, with a focus on quality practices and processing. Mr. Bekele takes great pride in the care he puts into his coffee, and it shows in the exceptional taste of his beans. His coffee is kept separate, a rarity in Ethiopia, and supports not only himself, but also his family who work with him.
