The Canadian roastery September Coffee has been working with Habtam Fikadua’s coffees from Chelbes, Ethiopia, for the third year in a row, and this year’s crop reaffirms that partnership. Stone fruit notes reminiscent of white peaches form the foundation of the profile, complemented by pronounced floral notes and the juicy sweetness of red fruit. A light body and a fresh, sparkling finish keep the entire cup clean and airy.
Habtamu Fikadu Aga serves as CEO of the export company Kuri Mountain Coffee and, together with Aaga Dinsa, oversees the production of landrace varieties across Ethiopia’s growing regions. This particular lot comes from 140 small-scale farmers near the Chelbesa washing station in the Guji region, where coffee trees grow at an altitude of around 2,000 meters above sea level. The varieties grown here are 74110 and 74112, both bred in the 1970s at the Jimma Agricultural Research Center for their resistance to a fungal disease affecting coffee cherries. The number 74 in their names refers to the year 1974, when they were selected and cataloged, and both originate from wild trees growing in Ethiopian forests.
The coffee undergoes a washed processing method, which is consistent across all lots at Kuri Mountain Coffee’s stations. After harvest, the cherries are pulped, and the beans are fermented while submerged in water for 48 to 72 hours; the exact duration depends on the current temperature. After washing, the beans rest in water for another 12 hours and are then dried on raised beds for ten to twelve days. It is precisely this meticulousness and consistency in the process that underpin the quality that Habtamu’s coffees have maintained over the long term.