In this method, coffee cherries are depulped to remove the outer fruit layer, followed by fermentation to break down remaining mucilage. The beans are then thoroughly washed and dried. This process yields a clean and vibrant cup with bright acidity, highlighting the intrinsic qualities of the coffee beans.
Natural Processing
In natural processing, ripe cherries are dried with their outer skin intact. As they dry, sugars from the fruit seep into the beans, imparting a rich and fruity flavor. This method often produces a heavy body and a unique, sweet complexity.
Honey (Pulped Natural) Processing
Cherries are depulped to remove skin but some mucilage is intentionally left on the beans. They are then dried, creating a spectrum from "white honey" (least mucilage) to "black honey" (most mucilage). This process can result in a balance between the clean profile of washed coffee and the sweetness of natural coffee.
Experimental Processing
Coffee producers are continuously exploring new methods, such as anaerobic fermentation, extended fermentation, and hybrid processes. These experimental techniques push the boundaries of flavor development, resulting in diverse and sometimes unconventional taste profiles.
Each processing method contributes distinct flavors and characteristics to the final coffee, offering a wide range of sensory experiences for enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike.
Tasting Notes
Strawberry, cacao, meyer lemon
Story
In 2006, brothers Asefa and Mulugeta Dukamo founded Daye Bensa, a coffee grower and exporter in Ethiopia. Daye Bensa exports coffee from its farm, in the Shantawene Village, as well as from "out-growers" (or smallholders) in three villages: Shantawene, Karamo and Bombe.
Ethiopia Shantawene is named after the village where the majority of the people who work on the farm, many of them women, are from.
Shantawene has won 7th place (from more than 1,400 entries) in the 2020 Cup of Excellence in Ethiopia!