Overview of Ethiopian Coffee
More than a thousand different varietals of coffee grow in Ethiopia. High elevations in the southern mountainous region make for excellent growing conditions. Ethiopia boasts over 10,000 coffee bean varieties that are specific to different regions throughout the country. Sidamo creates a crispy, citrusy coffee. Yirgacheffe is bright and floral, and Harrar produces an intense, heavy-bodied coffee. Folklore says in 850 A.D., a goat herder named Kaldi saw his goats acting strangely near a bush with red berries.
The vast majority of coffee exported from Ethiopia is green coffee. Ethiopia offers a wide range of flavors that can’t be found anywhere else in the world of coffee. Coffee production in Ethiopia is a longstanding tradition which dates back many centuries. Ethiopia is where Coffea arabica, the coffee plant, originates. Coffee is important to the economy of Ethiopia; around 60% of foreign income comes from coffee, with an estimated 15 million of the population relying on some aspect of coffee production for their livelihood.
Different Varieties of Ethiopian Coffee
Sidamo: Sidamo creates a crispy, citrusy coffee.
Yirgacheffe: Yirgacheffe is bright and floral.
Harrar: Harrar produces an intense, heavy-bodied coffee.
Unique Aspects of Ethiopian Coffee
Ethiopia boasts over 10,000 coffee bean varieties that are specific to different regions. In 850 A.D., a goat herder named Kaldi saw his goats acting near a bush with red berries. Many coffee experts consider Ethiopia their favorite coffee country because of its unique flavors not found anywhere else. Coffee trees existed in the wild for centuries where the word "kaffa," or "coffee," comes from. Coffee is important to the economy of Ethiopia; around 60% of income comes from coffee, with 15 million relying on coffee production.
Coffee Production in Ethiopia
The majority of coffee is grown on small farms. Exporting about 3.5 million bags of coffee in a single year, their place in the coffee industry is undoubtedly strong. Ethiopia is the highest mountainous country in Africa. The climate and landscape vary greatly from region to region, from tropical rainforests in Kaffa to arid plains in Harar.