What are the differences between Yirgacheffe coffee beans processed differently?

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Today, I want to compare the beans from Yirgacheffe. How much difference will there be after washing and sun drying? What is the difference in flavor?

Let’s first learn about the production area information!

There are eight major coffee producing areas in Ethiopia: Lekempti, Limu, Illubabor, Djimmah, Harar, Teppi/Bebeka, Sidamo, and Yirgacheffe.

Yirgacheffe is a small town in Ethiopia, with an altitude of 1,700-2,100 meters. It is one of the highest coffee producing areas in the world and is synonymous with Ethiopian specialty coffee. Lake Turkana, Lake Abaya and Lake Chamo bring abundant moisture here. In the rift valley represented by Misty Valley, there is fog all year round, and the four seasons are like spring. The breeze is gentle, cool and humid. Thousands of coffee trees thrive and multiply, giving birth to Yirgacheffe's unique terroir with ambiguous floral and fruity aromas and unpredictable changes.

Initially, the coffee trees in Yirgacheffe were planted by European monastics (a bit like Belgian monks planting wheat to make beer), and later farmers or cooperatives took over. Coffee trees are naturally scattered in forests, fields, and backyards. During the harvest season, the Ethiopian Coffee Trading Company will go to the town to buy the coffee beans collected by farmers, and eventually auction them off for export under the "Yirgacheffe" brand.

This time, the editor chose the [Red Tassel Peach] produced by the [sun-dried method] and the [Cochel] produced by the [washed method] for cupping and brewing comparison using the smart cup.

【Red Tassel Peach】

Alertlan Estate - Red Cherry Project

Each coffee farmer in the Alteran Estate has an average planting area of ​​about 0.6 hectares, which is composed of hundreds of coffee farmers. The planting altitude is nearly 2,000 meters, the climate temperature difference is large, and the soil is fertile, providing an excellent growth environment. The raw beans themselves exude a strong aroma of raisins and fermented wine. The nearly yellow-brown beans are actually not big in size, they are slender, but the weight in the hand is very solid. After roasting, we found that the bright berry aroma or the rich chocolate-like aftertaste makes this bean have a brilliant performance whether it is lightly roasted or darkly roasted.

【Sun treatment method】

This sun-dried coffee has slightly larger particles, slightly lower density and water content. Every coffee from this processing plant can be considered a high-quality fine-processed coffee, and its characteristics are superior to other coffees. Regardless of the processing method used, the coffee beans here can be considered high-quality coffee from the Yirga region.

After the processing plant selects the available coffee cherries, the coffee cherries with the whole pulp and skin intact are placed in a high-rise shed for sun drying. It is this shed drying method that requires high-intensity labor that isolates the contact with the ground and prevents the generation of soil odor during the sun drying process, creating an unusually clean fruit flavor. After more than two weeks of sun drying, the dark brown coffee cherries are professionally stored, waiting for the entire flavor to mature. The processing plant will remove the coffee beans from the coffee cherries before shipping, and you can imagine how sweet they are.

【Kochel】

Kochere is located on a plateau at an altitude of 1,650 to 1,800 meters.

The main picking season in Ethiopia is November and December. Most farmers do not use modern farming methods, but use manual care for coffee trees and do not use harmful pesticides or herbicides. Therefore, almost all coffee in Ethiopia is organic by default, regardless of whether it is certified or not. The original growing method combined with precise processing makes the coffee in the region world-famous. Neko Farmer said: This time there is no time to prepare, but the next harvest will be prepared for RFA organic certification.

【Water washing method】

Washed coffee requires more resources (water) than sun-dried coffee, so the quality of washed coffee beans is higher. Spreading the coffee beans flat on the drying table for drying allows for good ventilation, and in order to avoid over-fermentation, they will turn the coffee beans regularly.

Green Bean Comparison

[Red Cherry] is G1 grade, and the color is yellow-green from the raw beans, which is the typical color of sun-dried coffee, with uniform and full beans and few defective beans. [Kochel] Washed refined method generally removes the silver skin on the coffee beans during its processing, presenting a special luster, which looks more green and translucent, but the dry refined method [Red Cherry] only removes the coffee shell, and the silver skin remains intact.

Silver Skin/Chaff : There is a thinner film inside the parchment that wraps the coffee beans. Because of its shiny and silvery color, people usually call it "silver skin".

Next, let’s take a look at the comparison of cooked beans.

After roasting, [Sun-dried·Red Cherry] has less silver skin. The reason why there is more silver skin in green beans is that it is removed more thoroughly during roasting. However, [Washed·Kochel] has more silver skin. Washed beans have more silver skin, and a lot of it will remain after roasting. Of course, it is directly related to the degree of roasting. The deeper the roasting, the cleaner the silver skin is removed.

Baking comparison

Yangjia 800N baking machine (baking capacity 5500g)

【Red Cherry】

When the oven temperature reaches 200 degrees Celsius, put the beans into the pot, open the damper to 3, and set the heat to 150, with the damper unchanged. The temperature recovery point is 1'35". When the oven temperature reaches 140℃, adjust the heat to 180 and the damper to 4. At this time, the bean surface turns yellow and the grassy smell disappears completely, and it enters the dehydration stage. When the oven temperature reaches 170℃, adjust the heat to 150 degrees and keep the damper unchanged.

At 9'01", ugly wrinkles and black spots appear on the bean surface, and the toasty flavor turns obviously into coffee aroma, which can be defined as the prelude to the first crack. At this time, you must listen carefully to the sound of the first crack. At 9'25", the first crack begins. Turn down the heat to 120 degrees, adjust the air damper to 5, and develop after 1'40" of the first crack. Put it in the pot at 196 degrees.

The Agrton Bean Color value is 74.7 (left), the Agrton Pink value is 91 (right), and the Roast Delta value is .316.

【Kochel】

When the oven temperature reaches 200 degrees Celsius, put the beans into the pot, open the damper to 3, and set the firepower to 160 without changing the damper. The temperature recovery point is 1'32". When the oven temperature reaches 151, adjust the damper to 3.5. When the oven temperature reaches 140℃, adjust the firepower to 180 without changing the damper. At this time, the bean surface turns yellow, the grassy smell disappears completely, and it enters the dehydration stage.

At 8'35", ugly wrinkles and black spots appear on the bean surface, and the toasty flavor turns obviously into coffee aroma, which can be defined as the prelude to the first crack. At this time, you must listen carefully to the sound of the first crack. At 8'53", the first crack begins, the heat remains at 180, the air damper is adjusted to 4, and the first crack develops at 1'45", and the temperature is put into the pot at 195 degrees.

The Agrton pink value is 84.5 (left), the Agrton bean value is 62.7 (right), and the Roast Delta value is 21.8.

Cupping comparison

[Red Cherry] Cupping: fermented flavor, citrus, lemon, salary, grape, oolong, berry, floral, caramel.

[Kochel] Cupping: citric acid, green tea, citrus, jasmine, orange, nuts, floral aromas.

Smart cup brewing comparison

Brewing parameters: 15g powder/BG-5R/1:15/90℃

Brewing method: Pour water directly to 225 grams, wait 3'45" seconds and then filter into the sharing pot, remove when the powder bed is seen, and the end time is 4 minutes.

[Red Cherry]: Lemon, licorice, citrus, berry, sweet orange. The overall sweetness is relatively high, with aftertastes of caramel and cream, and the aftertaste has the aroma of black tea.

[Kochel]: Lemon, floral, orange, cane sugar, the overall taste is clean and refreshing, with the aftertaste of honey and oolong tea.

In terms of brewing flavor, the overall taste of [Red Cherry] is mellower and sweeter than [Cochel]; while // is clean and refreshing, with a more lively sour taste, slightly lower sweetness, and rich fruit flavor.

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