Mulugeta Muntasha - Washed

MEET THE PRODUCER | Mulugeta Muntasha grew up in the Bursa village of Arbegona, Ethiopia—a region which didn’t really grow coffee a decade ago. As a teenager, he worked as a truck driver in neighboring Arsi, transporting coffee lots from local smallholders to a private washing station. It is there that Mulugeta learned the business of coffee, and he took his newfound knowledge and understanding back to his home village of Bursa in 2021, shortly after farmers there had begun to plant coffee trees in an effort to cope with economic strain and climate change. He established his own drying station in the area, called Dawencho, and placed second in the Cup of Excellence only a year later. 

Today, Mulugeta owns a small network of washing and drying stations throughout the Sidama region, and his name is a mainstay at CofE cupping tables. He and others in the region are working to create agency and build value for themselves as coffee producers—a feat which has not often been undertaken, or appreciated, in Ethiopia. 

This release comes from his washing station in Arbegona, which is supplied by 600 smallholders in the area. It is made up of only one variety, JARC 74158—another rarity for the coffee powerhouse that is Sidama as a region, and Ethiopia as a whole.

TRUST THE PROCESS | After being handpicked at peak ripeness and delivered to the wetmill in Arbegona, coffee cherries are sorted for quality and thoroughly washed before spread out to dry on raised beds until optimal moisture content (10–12%) is achieved.

TAKE A SIP | High-grown and meticulously processed, this coffee is a masterclass in the classic Ethiopian flavor profile. It boasts a clean and vibrant acidity, like Meyer lemons, and leaves us swooning over delicate stone fruit notes, like apricot. From white flowers on the nose to the honey-like sweetness that clings to the final sip, this coffee takes a swing at that beloved flavor profile… and hits it straight out of the park. 

Origin | Arbegona, Sidama, Ethiopia

Producer | Mulugeta Muntasha

Washing Station | Arbegona Wetmill

Process | Washed

Variety | 74158

Elevation | 2300-2400 MASL

From Black & White Coffee Roasters, this washed Ethiopian comes from producer Mulugeta Muntasha in the Arbegona district of Sidama. The coffee is grown at 2300–2400 meters above sea level, using the JARC 74158 varietal. Washed processing typically emphasizes clarity and acidity, characteristics evident here through bright Meyer lemon and stone fruit notes alongside white florals and honey sweetness.