The local indigenous ‘heir-loom’ varietals – which grow wild in Ethiopia – are responsible for the unique flavour notes which make for an unusual but refined cup. When processed naturally through sun drying these present with juicy and jammy stone-fruit flavours, floral notes with a medium body.

Shade grown, ripe cherries are delivered to the mill for careful sorting, to select only the ripest. The cherries are dried in the sun on raised African beds for approximately 12–15 days. In the daytime they are raked and turned periodically to ensure a consistent drying process; covered between 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. to protect them from sun damage and at nighttime to protect it from rainfall and moisture. Once the coffee has dried to the right level it is sorted and thoroughly handpicked, before being bagged in GrainPro for export from the port of Djibouti.

About 700 family farmers contribute the coffee that they grow in the small community of Dumerso, in Ethiopia’s renowned Yirgacheffe coffee region.

This complex operation is managed by one of the most inspiring women leaders in specialty coffee, Hirut (aka Beti) Birhanu. During the harvest season, the Dumerso coffee operation provides employment for nearly 400 people from the local community, including many women. Hirut Berhanu has over 20 years of experience in coffee production. He acquired Dumerso washing station in 2010. The station has been built in 1998.

For this natural-process coffee, local community members work collaboratively to sort and dry the ripe coffee cherries on raised beds that allow air to circulate. The coffee dries complete with pulp and peel, for 15 days, preserving all of the fruit’s intense flavors. You’ll be amazed at the flavors that shine through!