Basha Bekele - Yeast Washed - Ethiopia

ABOUT THIS COFFEE AND PRODUCER

Ethiopia’s Basha Bekele has been a noteworthy producer for the past few years, but this year was especially distinguishing for him as he won first place the Ethiopia’s Cup of Excellence. This cements an incredible legacy, and is a testament to his exceptional work in coffee production.

This lot is very unique in that Christopher Feran personally spent time with Basha to develop a non dry processed protocol using a hand pulper and yeast inoculated washed process. Alcafe INTENSO yeast was used as a form of control and predictability to create very distinct and desirable qualities.

From Crop to Cup:

“We stopped by Basha’s Bombe drying station on our second day in Bensa in December. Basha’s father—also a community man who with Basha built a church for the community at their site in Bombe—was once a manager for a co-op in Bombe that supplied coffee to the Sidama Union. Before the government made it possible for smallholders to obtain export licenses, both he and his father sold their cherry to the cooperative. Basha now has his own export license and grows coffee (primarily 74158, known locally as “Walega”) in semi-forested plots on 12 hectares in addition to operating collection sites in Bombe, Shantawane, and Kokose—collecting cherry from producers growing coffee as high as 2300 masl. While cherry prices were high this year, Basha maintained a practice we didn’t see everywhere: delivering a second payment to the 126 producers he bought cherry from once the coffee sold. Like most smallholders around Bensa, Basha exclusively produces dry processes—which includes experiments with anaerobic styles of fermentation—and practices cherry flotation before drying his coffee slowly on raised beds (with some preparations drying under shade). This is our first import from Basha.”

WHY WE SELECTED THIS COFFEE

From our green coffee sourcer Harry:

“2023 wasn't the strongest year for Ethiopian coffee. So I was stoked for this year's harvest when our trader at C2C said that this year they're coming back with bangers. As we waited for our bag of Basha Bekele to arrive, we only got more excited to hear his washed lot was selected for NUMBER 1 for Ethiopia COE 2024. Coupled with the fact that this is the first time I've seen a yeast-inoculated Ethiopian coffee, I knew something special (and still very clean) was on its way.

I confirmed with Christopher Feran that he “developed the protocol on how to yeet some yeast in during the fermentation. After various test runs, this is the first time it's being done for realsies in Ethiopia”

At the cupping table, we were captivated by this coffee’s vibrant complexity—bright citrus notes interwoven with berry, floral, and tea-like aromas. We knew we had to share it, both to showcase the incredible processing innovations and to celebrate an exceptional Ethiopian harvest from Basha Bekele.

We’re thankful the stars aligned for us to get this coffee, despite some geopolitical trade challenges.  We’re looking forward to sharing our presentation of the wonderfully complex flavors this coffee has to offer. Huge shout out to Christopher Feran and Crop to Cup for making this all happen!