Ethiopia West Arsi Nensebo Mewa Natural G1

Espresso Extraction

Dose: 19.5 g (double)

Temperature: 204°F [95.55°C]

Time: 28 seconds total (3 second pre-infusion)

Out: 38 g

Alo Coffee PLC was founded in 2020 by Tamiru Tadesse Tesema. Just one year after the company's establishment, Tamiru won 1st and 5th place in 2021 Cup of Excellence competition. Tamiru's education background is in engineering, but he's been in the coffee business for twelve years. Alo Coffee is renowned for their classic natural and washed process coffees, but their pursuit of excellence doesn’t stop there. By embracing controlled fermentation, they unlock new dimensions in flavor. By using coffee-derived materials such as Mossto, cascara, and mucilage, they craft distinctive, small-lot coffees that push boundaries while honoring sustainability.

Processed as a traditional natural, it begins with hand-picked fully ripe cherries for the first round selection. Before washing, each cherry undergoes a second round of meticulous hand-sorting. They identify the color of the cherries and remove any that are overripe or underdeveloped to ensure only cherries of uniform ripeness make the cut. The selected cherries are then dried on raised African beds, allowing the fruit's natural sugars to slowly infuse the bean throughout the drying process. Overall, it is sweet, clean, and irresistibly juicy.

Our in-country partner has been experimenting with new processing methods as a way to increase value and stand out among a growing number of specialty washing stations in Ethiopia. They have been trialing anaerobic fermentation with several of their washing stations in Yirgacheffe since 2015. Uraga washing station receives cherries from farmers in the surrounding region. The station is located in Guji, a coffee growing region that was once part of Yirgacheffe but whose microclimate produces such unique coffee, that it was allocated as its own coffee growing region. Farming methods in the region remain largely traditional. Guji farmers typically intercrop their coffee plants with other food crops. This method is common among smallholders because it maximizes land use and provides food for their families. In addition to remaining traditionally intercropped, most farms are also organic-by-default. Farmers in Guji typically use very few—if any—fertilizers or pesticides.

Most farm work is done manually by the immediate family.

To capitalize on the magnificent climate, Uraga washing station provides training to help farmers produce better quality cherries. Training focuses on procedures for harvesting and transporting cherries. While Ethiopia is famous as coffee’s birthplace, today it remains a specialty coffee industry darling for its incredible variety of flavors. While full traceability has been difficult in recent history, new regulations have made direct purchasing possible. We’re partnering directly with farmers to help them produce top quality specialty lots that are now completely traceable, adding value for farmers and roasters alike. The exceptional quality of Ethiopian coffee is due to a combination of factors. The genetic diversity of coffee varieties means that we find a diversity of flavor, even between (or within) farms with similar growing conditions and processing. In addition to varieties, processing methods also contribute to end quality. The final key ingredients for excellent coffee in Ethiopia are the producing traditions that have created the genetic diversity, processing infrastructure, and great coffee we enjoy today. Most producers in Ethiopia are smallholders, and the majority continue to cultivate coffee using traditional methods. As a result, most coffee is grown without chemical fertilizer or pesticide use. Coffee is almost entirely cultivated, harvested, and dried using manual systems.

Alo Coffee PLC was founded in 2020 by Tamiru Tadesse Tesema. Just one year after the company's establishment, Tamiru won 1st and 5th place in 2021 Cup of Excellence competition. Tamiru's education background is in engineering, but he's been in the coffee business for twelve years. Alo Coffee is renowned for their classic natural and washed process coffees, but their pursuit of excellence doesn’t stop there. By embracing controlled fermentation, they unlock new dimensions in flavor. By using coffee-derived materials such as Mossto, cascara, and mucilage, they craft distinctive, small-lot coffees that push boundaries while honoring sustainability.

With multiple stations across both the Sidama Region and West Arsi Nensebo in the Oromia Region, Alo Coffee positions each station in close proximity to the surrounding farms. This ensures that processing begins as quickly as possible, preserving the freshness of every cherry from the moment it's picked. Ethiopia West Arsi Nensebo Mewa Natural G1 comes from the Mewa Station, located in Nensebo, which is within the West Arsi zone, situated just northeast of the well-known Sidamo in southern Oromia.

Processed as a traditional natural, it begins with hand-picked fully ripe cherries for the first round selection. Before washing, each cherry undergoes a second round of meticulous hand-sorting. They identify the color of the cherries and remove any that are overripe or underdeveloped to ensure only cherries of uniform ripeness make the cut. The selected cherries are then dried on raised African beds, allowing the fruit's natural sugars to slowly infuse the bean throughout the drying process. Overall, it is sweet, clean, and irresistibly juicy.