Ethiopia Anasora Farm Natural

At the beginning of 2020, we took a trip to Ethiopia with our good friends Kamba Coffee, where we were hosted by Israel Degfa; a renowned second generation coffee producer. We've released a number of coffees from Israel and his many farms or washing stations this year, but this lot is quite special to us. Part of the trip involved visiting the Anasora washing station and Israel's farm there, during harvest, and it's something we won't ever forget. The farm, started in 2013, covers 250 hectares on the banks of the river Turo; at elevations varying between 2,000 and 2,350masl. Private farms of this size in Ethiopia are rare, and even more unusual to find them at such high altitudes. The views were stunning! Such high elevation causes the cherry to mature at a slower rate, giving more time for the plant to develop and increase in complexity. In 2018, Israel added a washing station to the site, where he is able to process cherry for local producers alongside his own crop. Natural lots at Anasora are hand sorted for defects, before being dried on the 290 African beds on site. Cherry is dried in a single layer for the first 5 days, to speed up and the process and reduce the level of fermentation. It's then mixed to dry for a further 10 days, before being milled.