FLOW STATE Espresso

Local farmers grow and harvest ripe-red cherries, delivering them to various smallholder-led cooperatives in the region for processing. At these facilities, the cherries are de-pulped and fermented until the sticky fruit mucilage can be washed away. The cleaned coffee, called "parchment" because of its protective papery outer layer, is then sun-dried on raised beds until it reaches the optimal moisture content.

Sidamo coffees are celebrated for their exceptional flavour profile, featuring distinctive floral notes, bright citrus, and luscious stone fruit flavours.

Located about 270 km from Addis Ababa, the Sidamo region sits in the East African Great Rift Valley, which extends through Ethiopia and Kenya to Mozambique. The region takes its name from its inhabitants, and the nutrient-rich volcanic soil is thought to be responsible for the coffees developing their distinctive cup profile.

Coffee in Sidamo is cultivated exclusively by smallholder farmers at elevations between 1,550 and 2,200 metres. These small-scale producers harvest approximately 37,000 tonnes of coffee annually across 70,000 hectares. Rather than hiring workers, they primarily rely on family labour for their harvests.

In botanical terms, heirloom varieties are plants passed down through generations, often within families, known for their historical significance and cultural heritage. In Ethiopia, "heirloom" is often used as a catch-all term for any variety native to the country. Estimates suggest there are between 10,000 and 15,000 heirloom varieties in Ethiopia today, most of which have not been formally genetically identified.

While many heirloom varieties originate as wild plants, some have been selected for their desirable qualities and cultivated on coffee farms across the country.

Heirloom varieties typically fall into two categories: JARC varieties and regional landraces. JARC varieties are developed and researched by the Jimma Agricultural Research Centre for desirable characteristics, such as greater disease resistance or increased yield. In contrast, regional landraces are varieties that have evolved naturally over generations, adapting to their specific environments.

The washed process was designed to minimize the risk of off-flavours caused by uncontrolled fermentation during the natural process. Cherries are typically sorted using a flotation tank, where under-ripe or defective fruits float to the top and can be removed. The remaining cherries are then pulped and left in a tank to ferment until the sticky fruit mucilage is soft enough to be washed off the parchment—a paper-like layer surrounding the seed.

The design and cleanliness of the tanks used for fermentation are crucial, and the type, degree and speed of microbial activity depends on various factors. These include the amount of fruit remaining, the presence of bacteria and yeasts, whether the tank is filled with water, and the environmental conditions.

Once the mucilage has sufficiently degraded, it's washed away with water. The remaining parchment coffee, as it's commonly called, is then dried until it reaches a safe moisture content. The bacteria-rich and sugary water used in the process must be treated carefully, as it can cause algae blooms if it enters streams and rivers.

In situations where large amounts of coffee are processed in bulk, such as in Ethiopia, some operations have found it economical to use a mechanical demucilager. This device removes all the fruit from the parchment with minimal water, bypassing the fermentation stage entirely. However, some believe this leads to a reduction in cup quality, as many flavour precursors are created through fermentation.