Guji Shakisso Ethiopia. Heirloom Varietals. Natural.

Every bean has a story
Guji Shakisso comes from the Tero Washing Station in the Oddoo Shakisso district, Guji Zone of Ethiopia. This exceptional coffee is the cultivation result of a community of around 700 dedicated local producers. Committed to both quality and sustainability, these growers play a vital role in supporting the region's economy.

TERO WASHING STATION

Nestled between 1,950 and 2,150 m.a.s.l., the washing station benefits from a high-altitude  microclimate that is ideal for developing the coffee's complex and distinctive flavor profile.

The most common method of managing a private washing station in Ethiopia is simply to buy cherry from surrounding farmers, and that's that. But, at Tero Farm, smallholders must participate in a comprehensive registration and training, including mapping of each smallholder's farm and training in agronomy and processing. Records are meticulously kept in the offices managed by the station's dedicated outgrower engagement staff.

Through this program, farmers benefit from higher prices paid for higher quality cherry, pre-harvest financing, and distribution of seedlings and coffee bags for transport. Smallholders living in the vicinity of Tero Farm deliver their cherries to the farm or to nearby collection centers. Their proximity to the farm allows for a large scale demonstration plot.from which the many cherry suppliers can take back to their own smaller scale operations.

 GUJI SHAKISSO PROCESSING

Coffee farmers transport their cherries to the Tero Washing Station. Once the coffee arrives at the
station, the team there pre-sorts the cherries. Then, the team carefully hand sorts them, selecting only perfectly ripe ones and removing any unripe, overripe, or foreign material.

Afterwards, they float the cherries in water. Low-density, imperfect coffee is removed as it floats, while healthy, dense beans sink to the bottom. Then, approximately 25 kg of cherries are spread to a thickness of 5 cm on each African drying bed. The team turns cherries 5 to 6 times a day to ensure even drying.

The drying process typically takes 15 to 21 days. The length depends on weather conditions, and takes place until the coffee reaches an optimal moisture content.

 

If you enjoy coffees from Ethiopia, we recommend you give our other Heirloom coffees, Chelbesa Microlot, a try!