NEW SCHOOL K-CUPS | Washed Process Ethiopia | Ayele Tulu: Sidama

ABOUT THE COFFEE:  A "New School" daily driver with notes of peach tea, caramel, toffee and malted chocolate.

K-CUPS:  Specialty grade quality meets k-cup convenience.  Traditional k-cups use both stale and under-dosed coffee resulting in a weak cup that is little more than brown water.  Our K-Cups are fully dosed, roasted to order and 100% recyclable.  Just pinch the lid open, empty the used grinds, rinse and recycle. 

NEW SCHOOL DRIP:  Our sweet and balanced specialty grade drip coffees with unique flavour characteristics not traditionally associated with black coffee.  New School expression that you'll still want to drink every day.

FROM:  Bona Zuria, Sidama, Ethiopia

PRODUCERS:  Various

STATION MANAGER:  Ayele Tulu

VARIETIES:  Ethiopian Landrace

PROCESS:  Washed

ALTITUDE:  2130-2350 Meters Above Sea Level

FERMENTATION TIME:  24-72 Hours

DRYING METHOD:  Raised Beds

DRYING TIME:  10-15 Days

IMPORTED BY:  Apex Coffee

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: 

The Ayele Tulu Washing Station is situated in the Bona Zuria district of the Sidama region, more specifically in the Demeka Becha Kebele, 100 km from Hawassa, Ethiopia.  Founded by second-generation grower Ayele Tulu and his son, Tsegab Ayele.  Tsegab oversees all factory protocols from harvest to export, ensuring that each step adheres to the highest quality standards.  Due to the region's high elevation, the coffees produced here are famously known as "Highland Coffee."  Each year, approximately 600 smallholder producers bring ripe cherries to this washing station.

Bona Zuria district, nestled in the Sidama zone of Ethiopia, is renowned for its rich landscapes and high-altitude coffee cultivation.  The area's unique climate and fertile soil provide optimal conditions for producing high quality coffee beans, establishing it as an important coffee-growing region.  There are two distinct rainy seasons: BELG, the short rainy season from late February to May, and KIREMT, the main rainy season from June to September.  

Smallholder producers in the area bring their ripe cherries to the washing station, where they undergo a careful de-pulping process using a traditional disc pulper.  Following this, the cherries are fermented in a a water tank for 24-72 hours to develop their flavours.  After fermentation, the coffees are soaked overnight in pristine water sourced from the nearby Daddaye River.  They are then laid out on raised beds under shade to dry for 10 to 15 days, achieving a moisture content of 10 to 12%.  Throughout this drying phase, the coffees are meticulously raked and sorted to ensure consistent flavour development.  The resulting cup offers a delightful acidity and crisp sweetness, highlighting the exceptional processing techniques and the unique microclimate of the regions.  Once the drying process is complete, the coffee beans are transferred to a secure storehouse, where they await transportation to Addis Ababa for final processing.