Ethiopia Bensa Setamo

This washed Ethiopian has a soft floral note with stone fruit sweetness. It finishes with a nice Earl Grey flavour. It is perfect for an afternoon cup or after a meal.

Situated in Bombe, Bensa District, Sidamo, the Bensa Setamo Washing Station lies at 2100 - 2300 masl. It brings together cherries from over 556 local smallholders, most of whom manage small family-owned plots. The station plays a central role in supporting farmers by providing market access, training, and quality processing standards.

Harvest & Post-Harvest

Harvesting takes place between October and December. The cherries are carefully handpicked and then placed in floating water to sort ripe from unripe fruit.

Once sorted, ripe cherries are fed into a depulping machine where the skin and pulp are removed. The beans are transferred into channels and moved to large fermentation tanks filled with water. Floating beans, considered lower quality, are removed.

The coffee is fermented for 24–48 hours, depending on temperature. During this process, naturally occurring microorganisms produce enzymes that break down the sticky mucilage surrounding the beans.

Following fermentation, the parchment coffee is washed, then dried on raised beds until reaching a moisture content of 10–12%.