Bean Spotlight: ETHIOPIA - Guji Mordecofe
Ethiopia is not only the birthplace of coffee itself, but continues to produce some of the most exotic and highly sought after beans in the world.
This particular Ethiopian coffee comes from the Guji region and is fully washed, sun dried and has tasting notes of tropical fruit, cane sugar and green tea. With medium body and bright acidity, this coffee is a favorite among those who love bright acidity in their cup along with the fruity notes Ethiopian coffee is so well known for.
About the Producer
Haile Gebre owns and operates two farms and a washing station under the Mordecofe name, which is short for “Mora Mora River Valley Development Coffee.” The farm is located in the Shakiso “woreda” (administrative district) in Ethiopia's Guji zone, about 200 miles from the Kenyan border. In total Haile and his family own roughly 500 hectares of land in Shakiso and have planted 420 hectares with semi-forest Ethiopian Heirloom Varietals at an elevation between 1900-2200 meters.
Halie is passionate about many things and cares deeply about the environment. After a career in the Ethiopian government, Haile left his job and returned home to grow coffee on his family's land in the highland forests of Southern Ethiopia. Haile is passionate about growth on all levels. He believes that to be successful his local community in Shakiso and his customers must also prosper.
Through Mordecofe, Haile and his family work with 300 small-holders to produce high quality, organic coffee. Mordecofe works with these producers to help them increase quality and to face the challenges of coffee farming. In particular he is concerned with the ecosystem, lack of farming education and limited access to sustainability initiatives.
About the Guji Region
The Guji zone was established as a unique production area in 2002. It is located in the Southern portion of Sidamo, and is named after the Oromo people; a tribe with a long, proud history in coffee production.
Coffees from Guji were previously classified as “Sidamo” (a very wide geographical classification encompassing much of central-south Ethiopia), however more recently they have been separated from this classification and recognized for their unique and distinctive cup profiles. This distinctiveness is driven by the unique combination of elements in this production area, including high altitudes, rich, fertile soil, and exceptional heirloom varieties.
Guji is bordered on the south and west by Borena, on the north by Gedeo and Sidama, and on the east by Bale and the Somali Region. Coffees that are classified as “Gujis” originate from the woreda of Adoola Redi, Uraga, Kercha, Bule Hora, and Shakiso, which is where this lot is from.
Most communities in the region still live rurally and make a living from farming. Coffee remains the main cash crop for most families in the Guji region, who grow coffee alongside food for their own consumption, and other cash crops such as the Ethiopian banana.
Recommending Brewing Methods
We highly recommend drinking this coffee black, as milk will quickly overpower the delicate tasting notes within this coffee. Even better, enjoy this coffee as a pour over and really savor every part of the brewing process, smelling the coffee as it blooms and then enjoying your coffee by sipping slow and trying to detect all of the details in your cup. Head here to order online and try some for yourself!
Source:
Genuine Origin. “ETHIOPIA GUJI G2 WASHED MORDECOFE 2019.” https://www.genuineorigin.com/2019-Ethiopia-Ethiopia-Guji-Mordecofe?quantity=1&custcol3=1