Ethiopia is often called the birthplace of coffee. It is believed that coffee originated there in the ninth century. Presently, more than 12 million people in the country are connected in some way with the growing and picking of coffee, and coffee is still a centerpiece of Ethiopian culture.
Here, we are going to discuss the best Ethiopian coffee and review some of the brands for you, plus provide you with a buyers guide to obtaining great Ethiopian coffee.
Quick Answer: Top 5 Best Ethiopian Coffee Beans
- Best Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Coffee – Organic Ethiopian Coffee Beans Review
- ATIKEM Organic Ethiopian Sidamo Coffee – Best Ethiopia Coffee Bean Review
- Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC – Organic Ethiopian Sidamo Coffee Review
- Ethiopian Bright Light Roast Grade 1 – Whole Bean Ethiopia Coffee Review
- Ethiopian Limu Coffee – Best Ethiopian Coffee Bean Review
What Is Ethiopian Coffee?
Let’s begin with some information on how Ethiopia became renowned for its coffee production and consumption. With its fascinating background and amazing quality, Ethiopian coffee is considered to be among the best coffee in the world.
The Demand For Ethiopian Coffee Increases
It was in the 15th century that Ethiopia first began exporting coffee. Somali merchants brought coffee to Yemen, where it was embraced by Sufi mystics who drank it so that it would enable them to concentrate more fully on their chanting. Around two centuries later, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church banned the drinking of coffee. In the 19th century, Ethiopians were able to return to enjoying their coffee due to Emperor Menelik II, who liked to drink the beverage himself.
After that, there was no holding back, and Ethiopian coffee production and exporting surged forward. Nowadays, coffee makes up about 70% of the country’s export earnings and is an integral part of the economy. It is estimated that a quarter of the country’s population grows coffee to earn their living.
While there are still several big government-run estates practically all of Ethiopia’s coffee is now cultivated on small farms by farmers who staunchly insist on using traditional methods of raising their crops. They grow the “garden coffees” on small plots that normally contain less than a hectare of land and provide about 300 kg of coffee annually.
It is worth mentioning that 20% of the coffee in Ethiopia is not farmed, but wild-grown in actual coffee forests. One of the most commonly known is the Gesha forest, where the original geisha coffee plants first came from. Frequently, these coffees are labeled as wild.
Along with being one of the largest coffee producers – the first in Africa and the fifth worldwide-Ethiopia is furthermore one of the world’s largest consumers of coffee. Ethiopians use 1.8 million bags of coffee every year, equal to around half of what they produce.
Product Reviews – Best Ethiopian Coffee Reviews
Best Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Coffee – Organic Ethiopian Coffee Beans Review
Who will enjoy Ethiopian Yirgacheffee the Most?
Familiar with the fuss being made over Yirgacheffee coffee beans? Confused and don’t know whether or not you should believe it all? Try this coffee, and you will see the light. Organically grown; no pesticides used whatsoever; medium roasted 100% pure Ethiopian coffee beans.
If you enjoy your coffee medium-bodied and acidy with rugged, wine or fruit flavors, an earthy aroma, and with a delicate suggestion of strawberry and cinnamon, you will love this coffee.
Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Coffee Profile
Roast: Medium
Body: Thick but medium-bodied
Taste: Intricate, with clear tones of wine and fruit
Aroma: Earthy with a touch of strawberry and cinnamon Sweetness: Average, fruity toned Acidity: Strong not citrus, but fruity
Aftertaste: Robust
What Makes Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Coffee Special?
Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Coffee is remarkable because the majority of the crop is collected from wild coffee trees providing this coffee with an exotic flavor that is unique, along with a nice level of acidity.
Flavor Tones: Strong strawberry, guava, pineapple, decisive lavender taste akin to flowers, and dark chocolate. Sweet but with a bitter edge. Chocolate and lavender dominate the finish, which is tinged by a fruity taste and distinctly robust.
ATIKEM Organic Ethiopian Sidamo Coffee – Best Ethiopia Coffee Bean Review
Who Will Enjoy ATIKEM Organic Ethiopian Sidamo Coffee the Most?
If you’re looking for a coffee that’s 100% Premium Arabica Ground Coffee, then you will thoroughly like this medium roast coffee, which is ideal for either a filter or french press use.
USDA Certified Organic and also Fair Trade this surprisingly good coffee with single-origin coffee beans will be just the thing if you’ve always found coffee excessively bitter. Favor a little sweetness in your coffee? The delicate creamy sweetness of this Ethiopian Sidamo Coffee will delight your taste buds.
Organic Ethiopian Sidamo Coffee Profile
Roast: Medium
Body: Smooth and well-balanced
Taste: Rich and creamy sweet. No bitterness
Aroma: Mildly sweet
Sweetness: Strong but not overwhelming
Acidity: None
Aftertaste: Mild
What Makes ATIKEM Organic Ethiopian Sidamo Coffee Special?
ATIKEM Organic Ethiopian Sidamo Coffee is unique because of its sweet, creamy taste that lacks any bitterness even in the aftertaste. Furthermore, it’s full of antioxidants, as organic coffee has a higher level of them than even green tea or cocoa.
There are absolutely no chemicals in this coffee that can harm the body in any way. This provides you with a cleaner, delicious tasting coffee. Plus, it naturally boosts your metabolism, giving you that extra bit of energy we all need from time to time. Also, caffeine improves your concentration and further increases your energy level.
Flavor Tones: Sweet and creamy. There’s really nothing more to be said, except that this coffee will definitely disappoint anyone who is looking for a traditionally strong coffee taste.
Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC – Organic Ethiopian Sidamo Coffee Review
Who Will Enjoy Organic Ethiopian Sidamo Coffee, Light Roast?
Anyone who is fond of blueberries, there is a powerful blueberry taste to this coffee, along with a certain earthy and somewhat nutty undertone—people who would rather drink a light roast coffee.
Organic Ethiopian Sidamo Coffee Profile
Roast: Light
Body: Light and creamy
Taste: Strong overtones of blueberry earthy with a faint almond taste
Aroma: Sweet with a trace of wine
Sweetness: Very sweet with overtones of fruit
Acidity: Well balanced, traces of berry
Aftertaste: Creamy and sweet, lasts quite a while
What Makes Organic Ethiopian Sidamo Coffee, Light Roast Special?
Due to the vast array of excellent coffees that are from the Sidamo area of Ethiopia, any new coffee must be absolutely brilliant to grab our attention. This Sidamo Coffee does just that by blending a multitude of tasty flavors perfectly Enclosed within a lusciously creamy body are flavors of earth and wine, but a prominently sweet blueberry flavor leads the pack.
All of this is balanced out by a berry-like acidity that does its job well. Your last sip will leave you with a long-lasting creamy sweetness in your mouth as an aftertaste.
Flavor Tones: Exceptionally good. Really anyone who likes good coffee with a fruity taste will enjoy this coffee.
Ethiopian Bright Light Roast Grade 1 – Whole Bean Ethiopia Coffee Review
Who Will Enjoy Ethiopian Bright Light Roast Grade 1, Gourmet Coffee the Most?
Anyone who is tired of boring old plain coffee and looking for a new and exciting experience in coffee drinking will instantly adore this single-origin coffee. It has an intense flavor that is quite unique and satisfying to the tongue. People who are interested in only drinking the highest quality coffee will enjoy this coffee as well.
Ethiopian Bright Light Coffee Profile
Roast: Light
Body: Smooth
Taste: Intense and refreshing. Combination of lemony tartness, floral nectar, and raw honey.
Aroma: Slightly nutty with fruit and floral undertones
Sweetness: Not excessively sweet, but general sweetness
Acidity: Smooth non-acidic
Aftertaste: Leaves behind a nutty aftertaste
What Makes Ethiopian Bright Light Roast Coffee Special?
One of the things that makes this coffee stand out from others is that it is from Ethiopia and is a light roast coffee. It seems that there aren’t many light roast coffees from Ethiopia. Furthermore, even though there are definitely notes of citrus in this coffee, it still has a smooth finish that is not at all acidic. If you enjoy light roast coffees, then this one will not disappoint you.
Flavor Tones: Slightly floral with a distinctive nutty taste and a bright citrus tartness. If you are looking to try something different in the world of coffee, that will be flavorful. But not overwhelm you with bitterness, this makes an excellent choice.
Ethiopian Limu Coffee – Best Ethiopian Coffee Bean Review
Who Will Enjoy Ethiopian Limu Coffee the Most?
If you’re someone who likes their coffee mild, but with a dash of spice, you will find this coffee to be delicious. Strong flavors of spice that come through, along with tones of fruit and citrus. Nicely smooth finish.
Ethiopian Limu Coffee Profile
Roast: Dark
Body: Smooth and well-balanced
Taste: Spicy flavor comes through easily, but has an underlying combination of fruit and citrus that is very pleasing: unusual mix and plenty of taste.
Aroma: Spicy scent that captures your attention, yet isn’t too strong. Delicate background fruit smell.
Sweetness: Minimal sweetness
Acidity: Small amount that shouldn’t be a problem for anyone Aftertaste: Dominant aftertaste of spice laced with fruit
What Makes Ethiopian Limu Coffee Special?
It has a definite spicy taste that is noticeable but doesn’t stand out boldly over the entire mixture. Mild so that those who don’t care for strong coffee will like it. Fruit and citrus flavors are a nice touch. It is 100% organic and Fair Trade too.
Flavor Tones: Can taste a combination of spices, with fruit and citrus beneath it all. It makes for a different brew and is not extremely bitter. Might disappoint those looking for a stronger coffee, but for anyone who dislikes the sometimes powerful bitterness of many coffees, this is a great choice.
Buyers Guide For the Best Ethiopian Coffee
History of Ethiopian Coffee
The tale of Ethiopian coffee is surrounded by a legend.
About the year 850 AD, a goatherd by the name of Kaldi took his goats for grazing to the pastures in the province of Kaffa. When he wasn’t looking, they seized the opportunity to eat red berries from a shrub growing close by.
In no time at all, the animals began jumping about excitedly upon seeing this reaction. Kaldi made the decision to taste some berries himself. Soon he too felt euphoric and animated.
Afterward, Kaldi visited monks at a nearby monastery and told them of his discovery. It didn’t take them long to realize that eating the berries would aid them in staying awake and alert during any long hours they spent at prayer.
In order to make the flavor of the beans last longer, they roasted them and then soaked them in hot water, and that was how the first coffee was made.
A nice story, but historians actually think that the existence of and benefit of coffee beans was known long before Kaldi came along. In fact. Sudanese slaves may have relied on chewing coffee beans to help them endure the horrendous journeys that were part of the trans-Saharan slave trade.
Is Ethiopian Coffee Good?
There’s just no getting around it. The fact is that Ethiopia is the home of coffee. There have been coffee trees growing wild there for hundreds of years. Fortunately, they have the ideal growing environment to produce delicious coffee that tastes excellent without adding one thing to it. Ethiopia grows over a thousand varieties of coffee.
Due to high elevations in the southern part of the country, which is a mountainous area, they have growing conditions, which are fantastic. Here in these parts, the soil is rich and deep, and the vegetation thrives. It is standard practice that most of the types of coffee harvested there are grown minus the use of any pesticides. The plants get to grow and develop in the shade while living among other plants.
This is unlike the conditions for coffee farmers elsewhere in the world, who have to plant certain kinds of coffee and, by themselves, create the right conditions for their plants to grow and thrive. Such as having to plant more trees to give shade to the coffee trees as they grow.
What Does Ethiopian Coffee Taste Like?
Ethiopian coffee is renowned for its floral and lively fruited flavors. However, for those who prefer their coffee with less acid, these coffees do have a greater level of acidity, usually with a light to medium body and a mixture of underlying complex flavor notes.
The beans are treated in one of two methods, naturally processed or washed. Which processing method is used has a great effect on the ultimate taste of the coffee.
When coffees are washed or wet-processed as it is also called, the fruit is extracted mechanically immediately. These beans are known for their clarity of flavor, highlighting bright, lively, and complex tones. The coffee has a very bright, clean taste. Washed coffees also frequently hold notes of jasmine or lemongrass.
Coffee that is naturally processed has more depth of taste, as it is dried with the fruit still on the bean. The fruit is not removed until it is time to export it. This type of coffee has winey or fruity tones to it. Often with notes of blueberry, strong acidity, and a medium or heavy body. The beans are heavier on the fruited taste and have undertones of deep chocolate with a somewhat syrupy body.
The majority of coffee from Ethiopia has been processed naturally.
They have done it this way for centuries, and the method hasn’t changed a great deal with the passage of time. Now wet processing is still pretty new and is always undergoing change as new equipment is developed.
Not to Be Missed
Before 1995 Ethiopia was split into provinces. Presently the country is divided into districts, but it is still common practice to use the province name to indicate the location from which the coffee has come. Most of the areas that grow coffee are located in the southernmost province, known as Sidamo (or Sidama).
Within this region is Yirgacheffe, a small town worth mentioning because its nearby farms continually produce some of the finest coffees the world over. A lot of the coffee producers in this area prefer the wet processing technique. This makes for a coffee that is bright with a higher level of acidity, a light body, and sweet but fruity flavor with floral tones.
Another wonderful area is Guji. Situated in the south of the Sidamo region, coffee from Guji is bought by many of the best roasters globally. It will have sweet floral tones, like jasmine combined with peach and melon.
In the east of Ethiopia, just east of the capital is a region called Harrar. This area practically exclusively produces coffee that is dry-processed. This type of coffee contains plenty of wild fruit tones, a touch of winey flavoring, and have a syrupy body.
Conclusion
If you want to taste some of the best coffee in the world, then you need to experience the wide array of Ethiopian coffees that is available. Due to the fact that most Ethiopian coffee is wonderful, it is hard to determine exactly what would be the best Ethiopian coffee. There are just too many choices and too many delicious flavors.
One thing is for certain, and that is that Ethiopian coffee provides a pleasant respite from the bold, sometimes even harsh darker brew coffees that some people just cannot tolerate. If you are in the mood for a lively, bright, and wonderful coffee with some unusual twists to it. try one of the above-mentioned brands, and you can’t go wrong
Thank you for taking the time to read this article. If you enjoyed, check out our El Salvador coffee guide and Cafe Bustelo guide!
