Anasora is a new washing station and project located in the very high altitude of 2350masl in Guji, Ethiopia. It started with a remote farm in an area where coffee is a relatively new crop. Until recently they only produced naturals, and in 2018 they completed construction of the Washing Station which included facilities for processing washed coffees too. There is something truly unique about the coffees here. They mature very slowly and even the look of the beans is different, with lots of complexity in the profile.

Anasora is where our partners, Nordic Approach and Tropiq, conduct their own processing experiments. In a corner of the facility they have space for their own production of special preparation naturals, managed and supervised on a daily basis by Semeon Abay, product and quality manager for Tropiq Ethiopia.

About the Processing

When producing naturals, the level of fermentation will be determined by the thickness and layer during the first days of drying in combination with temperature. Semeon one layer fermentation is created to achieve a cleaner flavour profiles than ever before. 

Coffee cherries are harvested by family members, then hand-sorted to remove unripe and overripe cherries before they are delivered to the washing station for processing. The 20 tables at Anasora are 20 meter long, 1.5 meter wide. The synthetic mesh in the bottom is stretched out as flat as possible to prevent the coffee from piling up. It is supported by a bed of wooden planks that has a minimum distance of 50cm to ensure that theres enough airflow to dry the outer pulp uniformly enough. 

Cherries are laid on perfectly flat mesh beds for the first 5 days, drying the pulp faster and significantly reducing fermentation. They are then mixed together to create a 5cm layer and dried for another 10-15 days to stabilise the water activity and removed from tables at 11.5% moisture. The temperature fluctuation in the high altitudes also promotes acidity.

The End Results

This coffee has an incredibly clean, lively and complex cup profile. Layered notes of sweet stone fruits and berries accompanied by delicate florals in the long and lingering finish. 

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