Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Washed Gr. 2 – Banko Chelchele

Burman Coffee Traders

Details

Origin

Ethiopia

Process

Washed

Roast Suitability

Description

A wonderful fresh bean for the price point. Not as delicate as top grades, nor floral/fruity. These beans go after the rich chocolate and spice notes, kind of the terroir of Ethiopia. In specialty coffee, grade 1 Ethiopians are prevalent but are far from average and are quite different from the premium grade 2’s and 3’s. Grade 1’s are about light roasts, overly floral and sweet, delicate often with a fruitier aspect, while grade 2 and 3 bring in richer dark tones, less acidity, and hold medium to dark roasts much better. Farming & Practices: Gedeb is the southern‑most district of the famed Gedeo highlands, a crossroads between Gedeo and Guji whose soaring elevations and cool, misty microclimates yield some of Ethiopia’s most “explosive” cup profiles. Banko Chelchele sits in a dense corner of Gedeb known locally as “Worka,” where coffee gardens climb steep, red‑soil slopes shaded by enset (a banana relative used as a staple food) and gravilea trees. Smallholders each tending just 0.5–3 ha hand‑pick only fully ripe cherry, then deliver it within hours to the station. At the mill, cherry is floated to remove underripes, depulped, and fermented for two full days in tiled tanks. After a fresh‑water rinse the parchment is soaked once more, an extra step that mellows acidity and heightens clarity. Drying takes place on raised beds 15–20 cm deep, with parchment turned hourly and covered at midday and overnight for even moisture loss. Once the coffee reaches 10–11 % moisture it is rested in a climate‑stable warehouse before making the eight‑hour journey to Addis Ababa for dry‑milling, laser color‑sorting, and final export. Farm Stori: Gedeb sits at the crossroads between the famed Gedeo and Guji zones, and coffees from its high‑altitude villages routinely deliver some of Ethiopia’s most expressive profiles. Banko Chelchele, part of the greater “Worka” area, was only established as a private washing station in 2021, yet it already coordinates cherry from nearly 400 surroundin