Ethiopia Koke PR11 Carbonic Maceration washed (green)

Description

Area:   Koke Abraham
Altitude:  1950-2300 masl
Type:  Carbonic Maceration Washed
Varieties: Mixed heirloom varieties
Harvest:  November – January
Exporter:  Primrose

In the cup: Floral and stone fruit aromas, juicy, clean, balanced and well-structured. Flavours of green tea, white peach, pear, star fruit, orange, yellow plum, red apple, apricot, nectarine and white grape.

Koke Abraham

This year represents the first CM processed coffees coming out of this washing station, located near Mele village and named after Primrose manager Abraham. Despite this being their first year of CM processing, this washing station has used the last few years of our experience combined with the expertise of the local Primose team to produce some incredible coffee.

About Carbonic Maceration

The Carbonic Maceration (CM) process was first introduced to the world by Project Origin founder, Saša Šestić during the 2015 World Barista Championship in Seattle. Since then, Project Origin has researched and developed a range of CM techniques in a variety of countries. In 2018 PO started to do experimental lots with the Meteku washing station, obtaining very positive results.

Coffee cherries are picked perfectly ripe, hand sorted and floated to remove unripe and over-ripe cherries. The Washed CM Selection coffees are then pulped before being placed in temperature and humidity controlled tanks flushed with carbon dioxide (CO2) to remove oxygen from the tank. (Natural CM Selection coffees are placed in the tanks still in the cherry.)

The terms that we are accustomed to in the coffee world include natural, washed, honey, semi-washed and so on. These processing techniques use a variety of methods to extract the green beans/seeds from the coffee cherries. The CM process does not replace these methods; rather it adds another step in processing. For example, the CM Selections coffees are still identified as being natural, washed etc. but we also include the maceration process as well. So instead of being just washed, we say that a CM Selections coffee is Carbonic Macerated (CM) Washed.

By controlling the fermentation different kinds of yeast can be introduced in the tanks and during the production process is is possible control how they interact with the coffee, giving veryexciting results in the final cup. One key yeast that we activate is called sacromises cerevisiae. With the CM process we take control of how fast or slow sugars are broken down from the mucilage by the yeast. Depending on which controls we apply we are able to create unique flavour experiences and enhance different qualities in different lots.