Behind the Scenes

Some coffees announce themselves through intensity, while others reveal their beauty through clarity and precision. Bensa Sidama belongs firmly to the second category.

Produced by Assefa and Mulugeta Dukamo in the highlands of Sidama, this lot represents the elegance and transparency that have made Ethiopian washed coffees foundational to modern specialty coffee culture. Built around traditional Ethiopian heirloom varieties, the cup opens with delicate jasmine florals and vibrant citrus before evolving into soft stone fruit sweetness and a refined tea-like finish.

This coffee was selected for its purity and structure. Every stage, from selective harvesting to meticulous washed processing, was designed to preserve floral aromatics, articulate acidity, and clean sweetness.

Coffee Identity

The Story Behind Ethiopian Heirloom

Ethiopia is widely recognized as the birthplace of Arabica coffee and remains home to one of the largest collections of genetically diverse coffee varieties in the world.

Unlike many producing countries that rely on a limited number of commercial cultivars, Ethiopian coffee often comes from what is broadly referred to as "Heirloom" varieties — a complex collection of indigenous landrace genetics that have evolved naturally over generations.

These heirloom varieties are known for producing some of the most distinctive and expressive coffees in specialty coffee, often characterized by:

• floral aromatics
• tea-like structure
• citrus acidity
• stone fruit sweetness
• transparent complexity
• elegant finishes

Sidama, in particular, has become one of Ethiopia's most celebrated coffee-growing regions because of its high elevations, cool climate, and ideal conditions for slow cherry maturation.

The result is a style of coffee that feels vibrant, articulate, and remarkably transparent to terroir.

Producer & Terroir

Assefa and Mulugeta Dukamo cultivate coffee in the mountainous landscapes of Sidama, where cool temperatures and high elevations allow cherries to mature slowly and develop layered acidity and sweetness.

The farms are surrounded by fertile soil, natural biodiversity, and shaded growing environments that support healthy cherry development and aromatic complexity.

Harvesting practices focus on:

• selective ripe cherry picking
• density separation
• careful washing protocols
• slow drying stabilization

The surrounding terroir combines elevation, cool airflow, and mineral-rich soil to produce coffees with:

• delicate florals
• sparkling acidity
• refined sweetness
• clean structure

The result is a profile that feels elegant, vibrant, and highly expressive.

Process Deep Dive — Washed

Processing was intentionally designed to preserve clarity, floral transparency, and structural precision within the cup.

Process Timeline

1. Selective Harvest

Only fully ripe cherries were harvested during peak maturation.

2. Density Sorting

Cherries undergo flotation and hand-sorting to remove defects and underdeveloped fruit.

3. Depulping

Fresh cherries were depulped shortly after harvest to separate the seed from the fruit.

4. Fermentation

Coffee fermented in water tanks for approximately 36–48 hours to break down remaining mucilage.

5. Washing & Channel Cleaning

The parchment was carefully washed and graded through water channels based on density.

6. Raised-Bed Drying

Coffee dried slowly on raised African beds under controlled airflow and shaded conditions.

7. Stabilization

The coffee rested before milling to stabilize moisture and preserve cup clarity.

Why Washed Processing?

Washed processing is often chosen to emphasize transparency and terroir expression rather than fermentation intensity.

For this Sidama lot specifically, the process helped emphasize:

• jasmine florals
• citrus clarity
• tea-like structure
• stone fruit sweetness
• clean delicate finish

Rather than dominating the cup with processing character, the washed method allows the heirloom varieties and high-elevation terroir to remain fully visible.

Sensory Analysis (CVA)

Fragrance & Aroma

The dry fragrance opens with jasmine blossom, bergamot, and soft citrus florals. As the coffee cools, notes of peach tea and orange blossom emerge.

Flavour

The cup begins with sparkling citrus and floral sweetness before transitioning into soft peach, apricot, and tea-like complexity.

Acidity

Bright and articulate. Primarily citric with refined malic structure.

Mouthfeel

Silky and tea-like with delicate sweetness.

Finish

Long, floral, and clean with lingering citrus and stone fruit notes.

CVA Descriptive Summary

Internal CVA Evaluation

Final Evaluation: 92.75

Roast Philosophy

This coffee was roasted to preserve delicate floral compounds and citrus clarity while developing enough structure to support sweetness and body.

The roast approach focused on:

• low aggression heat application
• extended Maillard development
• restrained post-crack development
• preserving aromatic clarity

Rather than pushing caramelization heavily, the goal was transparency and clean expression of terroir.

Roast Targets

The resulting profile highlights:

• floral lift
• citrus clarity
• stone fruit sweetness
• clean tea-like finish

Brewing Recommendations

Filter — V60

Suggested Pour Structure

• 0:00 — 50 g bloom
• 0:35 — pour to 150 g
• 1:10 — pour to 230 g
• 1:40 — finish at 300 g

This recipe emphasizes:

• florals
• clarity
• citrus acidity
• transparent sweetness

Transparency & Traceability

Lot Information

Final Notes

Bensa Sidama is not a coffee built around intensity alone. Its beauty comes from clarity and precision.

The cup evolves continuously:

• florals become citrus
• citrus becomes stone fruit
• stone fruit becomes sweetness
• sweetness becomes a clean tea-like finish

It is a coffee designed for careful brewing, slow attention, and transparent sensory exploration.

Some coffees demand intensity.
This one rewards stillness.