Wate Gogugu Decaf - Ethiopia

Cup Characteristics: Milk Chocolate Sweetness, Red Apple Acidity, Praline Finish

Uraga is located just east of the Gedeb woreda (district) of Yiracheffe, over the Bule mountain ridge. Typical coffee farmers of this region operate from farms averaging only 3-5 hectares, often located around their homes, classifying them as "garden" farmers.

These smallholders deliver their coffee picked at the peak of ripeness to the Gogugu Washing Station, where the beans are washed, fermented and dried on raised beds before being sent to Coffein Compagnie in Bremen, Germany to undergo the decaffeination process.

Ethyl acetate (EA) is a naturally occurring compound often derived from sugar cane, which is used to extract the caffeine gently from green coffee beans. During this process, green coffee beans are treated with steam to increase their water content to make it easier for the EA to permeate the bean. The ethyl acetate binds to the caffeine, and a further steam treatment is applied to remove the EA along with the caffeine. 

Producer(s): Various smallholders of the Uraga Woreda

Country: Ethiopia

Region: Uraga, Guji

Elevation: 2,160-2,320 m.a.s.l.

Variety: Dega, Kurume

Process: Ethyl Acetate (EA) Decaf