Welcome to the lovely citrus and floral characteristics of African coffee. Yirgacheffe, grown at high elevations in Ethiopia, is well known in the specialty coffee world. This particular bean comes from Wonago, a District in the Gedeo zone, where Yirgacheffe coffee grows. This coffee is washed, meaning that the cherries are sorted, depulped and then the beans covered in mucilage are fermented for 36 to 48 hours before a final rinse. The wet beans are then placed on raised beds and turned every 2 to 3 hour to dry.
We are happy to offer these carefully sourced beans and bring the sweet and clean cup to Waterloo-Kitchener. Come and enjoy the delicate balance of acidity and body right now on our drip or as a pour over on the slow bar.
The Roasting
We treat this coffee at Matter of Taste in a way that is very typical to a light roast. The batch is heated to dry out the beans completely and then slowly carried to the first crack. After the excitement of the colour change, we let the sugars inherent to the bean are slightly caramelized. After a short time, the crackling of the roasting is finished and we are left with a slightly puffed, light-coloured bean that highlights all of the delicious flavours created in the growing and processing of this coffee.
The Flavour
This coffee offers a very nice, clean cup. It has a great acidity and features citrus and floral tones. A unique feature to this coffee is that it has a little bit of oiliness to it that adds to the body and overall taste. It has many flavours including grape fruit, caramel, vanilla, and a sweet and mellow spiciness. A cup of this coffee is best enjoyed over the course of time as the flavours and impressions of the coffee change as it shifts temperatures. Be sure to mindfully sip this one as there are many layers to experience.
Brewing Instructions
Our baristas recommend a pour over for this coffee although we have found it to be enjoyable with our drip coffee as well. Try to bump up the coffee ratio a little and a coarser grind to emphasize the flavour.
| Brewing Method | Coffee to Water Ratio | Coffee Dose | Water | Grind*based on EK43 | Time | Temperature |
| Drip | 1:26 | 84-91g | 2.2 liters | 7, moderately coarse | Depends on your machine | 195-205°F(90.5-96°C) |
| French Press (2 Cup) | 1:17 | 18-20g | 300-350g | 11, very coarse | 3:00-4:00 | 195-205°F(90.5-96°C) |
| Pour Over | 1:14 | 25-27g | 350-400g | 8-8.5, coarse | 2:30-3:30 | 195-205°F(90.5-96°C) |
| Siphon | 1:14 | 25-27g | 350-400g | 7, moderately coarse | 1:45-2:20 | 195-205°F(90.5-96°C) |
| Chemex | 1:15 | 45-50g | 700-750g | 8-8.5, moderately coarse | 5:00-6:00 | 195-205°F(90.5-96°C) |
| Espresso | Varies greatly | 6.5-20g | 21-42g | 1-2, very fine | 20-35 seconds | 185-204°F(85-96°C) |