Blueberries, bergamot, and smoothness all in one cup? BEKELE KECHARA from the Berlin roastery The Barn shows just how distinctive a naturally processed Ethiopian coffee can taste without losing its purity and elegance. The flavor profile blends sweet blueberries and strawberries with ripe red grapes, brightened by fresh bergamot and lemon zest. The silky texture carries plenty of sweetness and transitions into the smoothness of chocolate ganache on the finish.
The coffee comes from the Sidama region of Ethiopia, near the village of Murago, where producer Bekele Kechara runs a small farm covering just 1.5 hectares. This lot grows at an elevation of approximately 2 ,200 meters above sea level, with the coffee trees on the farm reaching heights of around 2 ,400 meters above sea level. Bekele has been growing coffee for more than 20 years and today works on the farm alongside his wife, Abinet Mekonnen, and their four children. Single-origin lots are still relatively rare in Ethiopia, as most coffee is produced through cooperatives and processing stations, which is precisely why Bekele’s production is so interesting.
The lot consists of the 74110 and 74112 varieties, which are among the Ethiopian selections bred by the Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC), a research center that has long been dedicated to the research and breeding of coffee plants in Ethiopia. Both were selected not only for their higher disease resistance but also for their clean, floral, and fresh profile, often featuring notes of citrus, bergamot, and stone fruit. The coffee underwent natural processing, in which ripe cherries are dried whole on elevated African drying beds. It is the combination of high altitude, these varieties, and the natural processing method that gives the cup its distinctive fruitiness, sweetness, and delicate floral-citrus sparkle.
- Producer: Bekele Kechara
- Farm: Murago, Sidama
- Elevation: approx. 2,200–2,400 m above sea level