ETHIOPIA SIDAMO SWISS WATER DECAF COFFEE

Sidamo describes a coffee growing areas sited along a broad rift, north to south, from Hawassa to Gedeb. Along with Yirgacheffe, which is a smaller area within the Sidamo zone, the reputation for high grown and high-quality washed coffees is well deserved, with the fragrant jasmine notes sitting over lemon, bergamot and tea like flavours seen as typical, though in truth the area can encompass a huge range of profiles. Grades in Ethiopia are grouped in to four main categories, G1 and G2 being the top two washed grades, and G3 and G4 being the top two natural processed grades. This coffee is washed, with beans removed from the cherry through a de-pulper, before passing through a fermentation phase for 12-36 hours. Once this is finished the cherries are washed in clean water and then dried on traditional raised beds or occasionally patios. Local smallholders grow heirloom varietals known locally by names such as Kumie, Diga, and Wilsho. Grown on heirloom varietals that yield milk chocolate with great supporting notes of lime, and caramel. The citrus character from Sidamo really adds another dimension to the cup.

The Swiss Water process is an organic, 100% chemical-free option for decaffeination. This method does not require the addition of chemicals, instead relying on a super saturated green coffee solution called Green Coffee Extract (GCE). This is introduced to a batch of green coffee. As the GCE is already saturated with all the water-soluble compounds found in green coffee, minus the caffeine, the matching molecules won’t diffuse out of the coffee beans—but the caffeine will. The flavour is retained in the beans while the caffeine is removed. Thanks to some scientific smarts and creativity, it’s possible to have decaf coffee that tastes the same – just without the caffeine!

We've been roasting the world's best coffee in our 2kg San Franciscan roaster since 1994, resisting the temptation and logic of roasting on a more commercial scale, to stand by the philosophy that we can bring out the best in any coffee working this way. To give some context, each batch produces just enough for 8 supermarket size packets. Often, one roast is taken entirely by one customer! 

The best tip we can offer to enhance your enjoyment of any coffee you try is to suggest that you grind your own beans freshly as required.