📍New Coffee Release📍
ETHIOPIA
" HUKE PREMIUM "
Kurume, Wolisho / Natural
Shade dried
Raspberry • Peach • Honeycomb • Grape fruit • Earl grey
This lot was processed at Huke washing station, a privately-owned washing station that is located in the Yirgacheffe woreda (administrative district) in Ethiopia’s Gedeo zone. The washing station is found in the kebele (local village) of Banko Gotiti, and is one of 28 owned and managed by Testi Coffee, a family-owned company founded by Mr. Faysel A. Yonis.
Sitting at 2,100m above sea level, Huke produces exceptional washed, natural and special preparation lots. The site was built by Testi in 2021 as a ‘premium’ facility, and selected for its natural advantages – including its high elevation, the surrounding region’s characteristics and access to fresh, clean water. By choosing sites in areas favoured with great growing conditions and paying premiums for properly harvested fruit, Testi ensures they only receive extremely high quality cherry, resulting in outstanding complexity and distinction in the resulting cup.
The washing station currently employs five permanent staff and between 150-200 seasonal workers. During harvest, freshly picked coffee cherry is delivered daily by some 500 independent outgrowers from the nearby kebeles of Banko Gotiti, Chelba, Chelchele and Chelbessai. At Huke, Testi separates and processes each kebele’s cherry delivery as a distinct lot, providing extra traceability. This particular coffee comes from the kebele of Banko Gotiti.
VARIETY
Sidama is home to many landrace varieties that were originally selected from the forest and have been propagated successfully for decades. There are five popular varieties that are named after indigenous trees in the area— Bedessa, Kurume, Mique, Sawe and Wolisho. There is little documentation on the history of these varieties, and it is hard to know if they represent a single plant or a wider group of varieties; however, it is widely accepted that they play a major role in the quality and floral flavour profile of the coffee from this region. JARC varieties were developed using “mother trees” from Ethiopia’s coffee forests, and are now grown for disease and pest resistance, as well as exceptional cup profile, and are released by number. For example, 74110, 74112 and 74116 are all widely propagated in the Sidama growing region.
PROCESSING
Carefully hand-picked coffee cherries are delivered to Huke washing station and were meticulously sorted by hand and in a floatation tank prior to processing to remove unripe, overripe, or damaged fruit, as this enhances the quality and sweetness of the cup.
The coffee was then partitioned into 25kg bunches and laid to dry on raised beds. Coffee cherries are placed in layers that are around 5cm thick, and turned by staff five to six times a day to to ensure consistent drying and prevent over-fermentation. This is done very carefully to avoid damage to the fruit. At midday, the coffee is covered to protect it from full sun. It is also covered overnight to prevent damage from morning dew.
Once the coffee reaches the optimum moisture level (usually after 15–21 days), it is hulled and rested in bags in parchment until it is ready for export.