*NEW RECESSION PROOF BANGER #27* Ethiopia - Mustefa Abakeno

STRAWBERRY, PEACH, MILK CHOCOLATE

What first got you into speciality coffee? For me it was an Ethiopian natural (Rocko Mountain!), and they’ll always hold a special place in my heart. There’s something about a naturally processed Ethiopian you just don’t find in anything else, so I’m super pleased to be offering one as the next recession proof release.

This cup hails from Jimma, in Western Ethiopia, grown by Mustefa Abakeno. We’ve had his coffee before, he knows his stuff. This is a fantastic cup, roasted light/medium, strawberry and peach with milk chocolate, a well rounded and sweet cup, really delightful to drink. It’s not overly funky or fermented, nor too acidic, right in the middle, brilliant. I’m brewing this filter, but go for an espresso, turkish delight comes through for me in milk.

As always, these recession lots don’t hang around for long, enjoy and tell your pals. Cheers, Joel.

THE COFFEE ITSELF

Mustefa Abakeno, a dedicated smallholder farmer in the Jimma Zone of Western Ethiopia, manages an extensive 18-hectare farm located at an impressive elevation of 2,040 meters above sea level. His farm is a testament to the rich coffee heritage of Ethiopia, featuring a diverse array of coffee varieties sourced from the esteemed Jimma research center.

Natural

1)Cherry delivered & flotation to remove immatures

2)Skin drying under shade for 1 day

3)Taken to raised beds where it drys for 20 - 30 days weather dependent

In 2018, Mustefa first embarked on his journey as an exporter, benefiting from regulatory changes that allowed him to engage directly with discerning buyers. To facilitate this endeavor, he established the "Beshasha" wet mill, a versatile facility processing both his coffee and that of local outgrowers. These outgrowers, Mustefa's neighbors, collectively oversee land parcels ranging from 4 to 10 hectares.

Mustefa maintains a small field lab, equipped with a high-spec Sinar moisture reader acquired in 2020. This device ensures that all parchment dried in the stations reaches a consistent moisture level before storage in the warehouse.

Notably, Mustefa's commitment to excellence extends to infrastructure development. He has constructed a modern warehouse in Agaro, impeccably equipped for milling Natural processed coffees. This investment underscores his dedication to refining and enhancing coffee cherry processing to meet the highest standards.

In a significant move during the 2022 off-season, Mustefa acquired four additional purchasing sites: Echamo, Jarso, Badeyi, and Saadi. These sites serve as crucial collection points, where cherries are meticulously selected and purchased from neighbouring farmers. The cherries procured at these sites are subsequently transported to the two main processing stations, Beshasha and Kabira, where Mustefa's exacting standards and coffee processing expertise are consistently applied.

This strategic expansion not only fortifies Mustefa's capacity to source exceptional coffee cherries but also reinforces his role as a catalyst for community development within coffee-growing regions.