Yirgacheffe coffee is considered as the roasted excellence to millions of coffee lovers across the globe. Named after an Ethiopian region, Yirgacheffe is one of the most popular varieties of Ethiopian coffee. And when it comes to sipping the best coffees, this variant is known for its class. Due to the ideal climate, the Yirgacheffe coffee plants are harvested without agricultural chemicals from October to December. This is why the best organic Yirgacheffee coffee in USA is an excellent choice among organic and green coffee lovers.
At present, Yirgacheffe coffee is well known as the highest quality Arabica coffee beans with a unique fruit-forward flavor. All credit goes to the perfect growing conditions of the place, which drastically decreases the requirement of chemical-based farming while enabling generations of healthy, thriving coffee trees.
As mentioned earlier, the beans of Yirgacheffe coffee are well known for their fruit-forward flavor and aroma with the light to medium body. This is the defining characteristic of this coffee and it also makes it more complex than conventional Brazilian or Colombian coffees. The majority of the coffee drinkers define drinking this coffee as an almost uplifting experience while treating the brewing job as a ritualistic, sacred experience. The aroma of this coffee offers a citrusy, beautifully rich scent with some delicate floral hints that makes an indelible impression on your nostrils. Although the taste of this coffee can be varied, often coffee lovers report tasting delicious lemon, citrus with some remarking on how this coffee reminds them of violets and plums.
What makes this coffee so good?
Coffee climate: Ethiopia offers a tropical and warm climate with moderate dry and warm seasons. Being located between the tropic of Capricorn and the tropic of Cancer means the weather is mild with loads of rain, perfect for growing coffee. This climate also promotes the easy growth of other vegetation to offer shade for coffee plants letting more conventional farming methods.
High quality, high altitude: Ethiopia coffee is planted on mountainside farms at 1500- 2200 meters above sea level, elevations that qualify Yirgacheffe beans as SHG or Strictly High Grown coffees. This means that the coffee beans grow slowly because of the altitude while allowing extra time for the plant to deliver essential nutrients to the coffee and develop the sweet and floral character.
Labor of love: For the Ethiopians, coffee is considered bread. Besides, Jabena Buna or coffee ceremonies are part of their daily life in Ethiopia and it involves many families for around two hours. These ceremonies include frankincense, grinding, roasting coffee beans, and drinking three cups of coffee (one as a blessing, one for pleasure, and one to provoke contemplation).
How to brew Yirgacheffe coffee?
Fresh-roasted and ground beans of Yirgacheffe coffee let the users experience the full flavor of the beans. So, you can brew this coffee hot or can also use it to create a cold brew. This coffee must be brewed in a metal filter as it allows more oil to pass. The paper filters are used to stain the flavors of the coffee grounds. This is why the pour-over or French Press method is considered to be the best way to brew the Yirgacheffe coffee.
1. Pour-over: This process brings out the lemon acidity of this coffee. And this makes the coffee sweeter. Besides, this process also offers the users more control over the brewing method that helps to preserve the flavor of the coffee. To get the best results, combine three tablespoons of ground Yirgacheffe coffee with 12 ounces of water. Then set the temperature between 192-198˚F based on how light you want the coffee to be.
2. French Press: This process can bring the most out of the fruity flavors of Yirgacheffe coffee. To make a perfect cup of coffee with this process: thoroughly grind the beans, combine two ounces of these coffee grounds with two cups of unfiltered water. Then sip the coffee and enjoy the natural aromas of this coffee. If you prefer cold coffee, then let it sit for a day in the fridge and then serve it over ice. The majority of the Yirgacheffe coffee doesn’t require cream or milk. These additives can instead drown out the distinctive flavors.
What are the important flavors of Yirgacheffe beans?
These beans are beautiful and bright. So, they are perfect for both hot and cold brews. And these beans also make mouthwatering medium or light roast with different types of floral notes and rich and beautiful citrusy scent. It creates a mellow coffee with a mild body. Here the taste is clean and offers a great finish. Thus, if you don’t prefer strong coffee, then this coffee is just ideal for you. When you indulge in this coffee, you can expect to enjoy the flavors of:
Nuts
Berries
Lemon
Toasted coconut
Chocolate
Wine
