Ethiopia Hada Molecha

The area surrounding Hada Molecha is 68% cultivated with coffee, and the average-sized coffee plot is between 2 and 10 hectares. Yield may be only a few bags, up to 60 or so annually. These smallholders who contribute to our Hada Molecha coffee rely on the cash from their cherries to send their children to school and buy clothing.

Catalyst Trade utilizes the Hada Molecha washing station for their Innovation Lots because of their intentional and intricate work and the high-quality cherries provided by the neighboring farmers.

Extended fermentation can lead to undesirable results (including sour beans, a serious category 1 green coffee defect) if executed poorly. Without the proper attention to detail or resources, coffees that go through extended fermentation can develop acetic acid (vinegar) and taste over-fermented and sour. However, the care put into this lot avoids those pitfalls and produces an exceptional coffee.

Ripe cherries were selected and mechanically depulped. This separates the mucilage-covered parchment from the cherry. Next, the beans are placed in a tank with water to ferment. During fermentation, natural microbes digest the mucilage and remaining pulp. This process traditionally takes 12 - 48 hours, with the water changed every 12 hours. The fermentation process lasted for 96 hours for this lot, and the water was never replaced. In addition, the coffee went through a second fermentation stage for a short period before being washed and set to dry while motoring sunlight exposure and airflow.

Coffees from Ethiopia are special because of their history as the birthplace of Arabica coffee and the mind-blowing flavor profiles found across the country. This experimental lot, consisting of coffee from various smallholder farms, was processed at the Hada Molecha Washing Station in Yirgacheffe. Typically, Washed processing (also called parchment dried) involves a 12 to 48 hour fermentation, either anaerobically (in water) or aerobically (dry). For this lot, the anaerobic fermentation lasted for 96 hours! This modification to the classic Washed process provides us with a uniquely delicate lot with notes of Meyer Lemon, Blueberry, Honey, and Jasmine.

This process is a high-risk/high-reward prospect. In classic anaerobic washed coffees, the water is consistently changed during fermentation to avoid over-fermentation, the creation of acetic acid, and defects resulting in souring. However, because of Hada Molecha’s attention to detail, this lot achieved a high reward, allowing the coffee to showcase its full potential on our rare coffee menu!

• Washing Station:  Hada Molecha
• Region: Yirgacheffe
• Variety: 74148, Kuruma, Dega, Wolisho, 74110, 74165, 74113
• Processing:  96-hour Extended Fermentation
• Altitude:  1,950 - 2,50 meters

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