Ethiopia: Demeka Becha - Bona Zuria, Sidama

Demeka Becha site is situated at the top of a hill, which is ideal for airflow along the drying beds. The Demeka Becha site is owned by Ayele Tulu, a Sidama man who is deeply integrated into the local area of Bona Zuria. His son, Tsegab Ayele, manages the project.

The heart, perhaps the true engine of the family, is Genet Haile Endeshow, Tsegab’s mother and Ayele’s wife. She fills up their lives and the home with her warmth, and her embrace expands to include everyone who has the privilege of working with the family and their coffee producing sites. She’ll make you a killer doro wat (chicken stew), which is served to honor guests in Ethiopia, and follow it up with traditional Ethiopian buna (coffee), served on her porch below the flowering vines that shade it even in the heat of midday.

Demeka Becha site buys cherries from nearby communities including Dilla Suke, Demeka, Goacho, Becha, and Bashiro Dale—close to 10,000 producers are situated in the areas surrounding the washing station. Producers bring their cherries to be weighed on the blue scale, logged in the book by Cashier and General Manager, Alemu Gobaro, and floated before being dumped into the cement hopper to begin the journey through the 4-disk Agard pulper and into fermentation tanks and cement washing channels. There are 10 tanks for density grades 1 and 2, and 2 tanks for low-density coffee destined for our Community Lot program if it meets our standard, or for the local market.

Following fermentation and washing, the parchment coffee is carried by hand to the drying beds where laborers spread it out to the depth of a fingertip and keep it turning until it is dried and moved to the locked storehouse to await trucking to Addis Ababa and final processing. This is another beautiful Farm Gate coffee.

Cupping Notes: Ruby red grapefruit juice, cranberry juice cocktail, riesling, ginger liqueur, and dried honeysuckle notes

Brew Recommendations: Drip, French Press, and pour-over.

Farm Gate Coffee: Farmers paid at least 50% above Fair Trade

Varietal: Heirloom Cultivars

Region: Bona Zuria, Sidama

Altitude: 2100 – 2200 meters

Process: Wet process (washed) and sun-dried on raised beds

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 Bona Zuria district in the Sidama region of Ethiopia, this lot is produced by Ayele Tulu. The coffee features Heirloom varieties grown at an elevation of 2100–2200 meters above sea level. Expertly prepared by Keia & Martyn's Coffee, the beans undergo a washed process, a method often utilized to highlight the inherent acidity and clean, vibrant profiles characteristic of high-altitude Ethiopian harvests.

In the cup, this selection presents a complex array of bright, citrus-forward, and botanical notes, including ruby red grapefruit, cranberry, and dried honeysuckle. While washed coffees are frequently celebrated for their clarity and precision, the addition of ginger liqueur and riesling-like qualities suggests a nuanced depth. For those looking to better understand the descriptors found in this profile, consulting a flavor wheel can be a helpful tool for identifying these specific sensory markers during your next brew.