Ethiopia: Acacia Natural

This Acacia Natural comes from smallholder farmers in the Guji region of Ethiopia. The sweet, fruity profile is selected to represent the classic flavors of one of Ethiopia’s best recognized coffee producing regions. It reflects the work of whole communities, and is produced by the smallholder farmers who characterize the coffee production landscape of Ethiopia.

In Guji, farmers pick coffee selectively, harvesting only ripe cherries individually by hand. Pickers rotate among the trees every eight to ten days, choosing only the cherries which are at peak ripeness. Natural processed coffee is transferred directly to raised drying beds. The ripe cherries are turned constantly as they dry in the sun.

Guji is a zone in the Oromia Region of southern Ethiopia. Most residents of this region are Oromo and speak the Oromo language, which is entirely different from Ethiopia’s main language of Amharic. Like many of the country’s coffee growing regions, the culture of the Guji Zone varies from woreda to woreda and speaks to the diversity of people who cultivate coffee. More small washing stations are being built in Guji to respond to the demand for improvements in processing to fully capture the range of attributes found in Ethiopian coffee. The zone’s principal fresh water source is the Ganale Dorya river, which also acts as the boundary line with the neighboring Bale zone to the east.

To the west, Guji borders the southern Gedeb woreda of the Gedeo Zone in the neighboring Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People’s Region, part of the Yirgacheffe coffee growing area.

Cupping Notes:  Berries, honey, milk chocolate,  and plums

Brew Recommendations: Drip, French Press, pour over

Varietal: Heirloom 

Region: Guji

Altitude: 2000 meters above sea level

Equity Pricing (EP) Levels

Sustaining Level: $16 per 12 oz bag (check out subscriptions for deep discounts) | More info below

Uplifting Level: $20 per 12 oz bag (check out subscriptions for deep discounts) | More info below

Benefacting Level: $24 per 12 oz bag (check out subscriptions for deep discounts) | More info below

Sourced from the Guji region of Ethiopia, the Acacia Natural represents a classic expression of the Heirloom varietal. This lot is prepared using the natural process, a method where the coffee cherry is dried intact around the seed. Generally, natural-processed coffees are celebrated for their ability to impart heavier fruit-forward characteristics and increased sweetness compared to washed counterparts.

Roasted by Keia & Martyn's Coffee, this selection highlights a profile defined by berries, honey, milk chocolate, and plums. These specific notes can be mapped against the flavor wheel to better understand how the inherent qualities of the Guji terroir interact with the drying process. Grown at 2000 masl, this coffee offers a focused look at the intersection of traditional Ethiopian cultivation and careful post-harvest handling, resulting in a cup that balances deep, jammy fruit tones with a smooth, honeyed finish.