Gedeb Wuri (Washed) - Ethiopia

About this coffee

Gedeb is one of seven woredas (districts) belonging to the Gedeo Zone. With an elevation of around 1,800 to 2,200 meters, it sits quite high, and its subtropical climate provides ideal conditions for coffee cultivation. Coffee grown here typically has relatively small beans, taking about 2 63 months to mature, and is known for its unique sweetness. Because of its excellent environmental conditions and the community of skilled growers who gather here, Gedeb is famous for producing some of Ethiopia92s best coffee. This is why it is often called the heart of Ethiopian specialty coffee. About 12 km from the town of Gedeb lies Wurka93Sakaro. In the Gedeo language, Wurka means 9Cgold,9D and Sakaro refers to a large tree found in the Gedeb region. Wurka93Sakaro plays a very important role in coffee production. Coffee is cultivated across a total area of about 680 hectares, and many washing stations, including ours, are located here. Among the three washing stations, the only privately owned one93Wuri Washing Station93is known for pursuing diverse processing methods. Last year, for example, Wuri attempted Ethiopia92s first-ever anaerobic fermentation processing, which generated considerable buzz in the 2016 WBC (World Barista Championship) community. We use the phrase 9Chigh altitude9D with confidence when speaking of Gedeo. In fact, after spending significant time in the region, we came to understand firsthand why the local people take such pride in their high elevations. It also gave us insight into how coffee production in Ethiopia might evolve in the future.