Seven Seeds - Ethiopia Bekele Belaycho - Espresso roast

This high altitude, sun-dried natural coffee makes for an unforgettable experience. Inherently process-driven flavours combine well with the care and precision of Bekele’s production of the lot. There is a youthful adventurousness to this part of the coffee world, and this offering is an excellent representation of that. Expect familiar, abundant summer fruit notes with a smoothly sweet finish.

On a sourcing trip earlier this year, our head roaster, Ryan, visited Bekele’s house and had the opportunity to share breakfast with him. Bekele is a mentor to younger producers within this tight-knit community and has helped a number of them and their families join the coffee-growing business.

The Bensa Highlands in Sidama could be considered a younger sibling in the birthplace of coffee. Much of the industry here is at most 20 years old. Until 2019, Sidama was considered a zone within the SNNPR (Southern Nations, Nationalities, and People’s Region). However, the zone broke away and established itself as the tenth recognized region in Ethiopia. The region has experienced climate change over the last fifty years, creating conditions ideal for growing coffee. The high altitude means limited access to water for cherry processing, resulting in a necessary preference for natural processed lots. Necessity drives innovation, and the young producers of this region are a testament to that. .

SOURCING