Ethiopia - Secret Process

This tiny lot comes to us from Suke Quto, our long running farm relationship in Guji, Ethiopia. Tesfaye Bekele has become a champion of sustainable agroforestry in Guji, growing coffee under tree canopy to preserve native forest.

For years we heard rumors of Tesfaye's "secret process," an apparent adaptation of natural processing. Now appearing on our menu for a second year, we're tasting flavors of wild cherry and concord grape, white peach, pineapple candy, passionfruit, and root beer.

Sourced from the Ethiopia · Guji region and produced by Tesfaye Bekele, this Ethiopia - Secret Process lot from Partners Coffee highlights the distinct character of the area. Natural-processed coffees often undergo a drying period while the fruit remains intact, a technique that frequently imparts a heavier body and intensified sweetness to the final cup. By exploring various processing methods, roasters can highlight the diverse profiles inherent to Ethiopian heirloom varieties, ranging from bright, stone-fruit acidity to deep, syrupy complexity.

When evaluating a coffee with such a vibrant array of descriptors—including wild cherry, concord grape, white peach, pineapple candy, passionfruit, and root beer—it is helpful to reference a flavor wheel to better categorize these nuanced sensations. This specific offering serves as a compelling example of how regional terroir and careful post-harvest handling converge to create a complex, fruit-forward experience that challenges traditional expectations of the cup.