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Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Natural by Tewabech Tilo

$ 22.99

One Real 16oz. Pound

One of my favorite things about Old Bisbee Roasters is the ability to purchase coffee from small farm organizations or even individuals.

Our newest coffee is Tewabech's organically certified specialty crop, harvested with the assistance of about seven workers, sorted for consistency, and sundried on her property on raised beds for about three weeks.

Aroma: spice, black pepper, cardamom, hot chocolate
Cup: sweet cordial cherry, velvety, smooth, and rich
Finish: lingering, fresh whipped cream, hint of black tea 

One Pound

About this Coffee

GROWER: Tewabech Tilo
REGION: Yirgacheffe woreda, Gedeo Zone, Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region, Ethiopia 
ALTITUDE: 2000 – 2100 meters above sea level
PROCESS: Full natural and dried on raised beds
VARIETY: Heirloom cultivar 74158
HARVEST: October- January
SOIL: Vertisol
CERTIFICATION: Organic

Tewabech Tilo grows coffee on 6.5 hectares of land in Yirga Chefe (also spelled Yirgacheffe), one of 8 woredas, or districts, comprising the dense and competitive highland zone of Gedeo. The entire Gedeo zone is often called "Yirgacheffe" after this district, which is by far the most famous for its long history of recognizable terroir.

6.5 hectares is considered very large for this area, where half a hectare is the norm. Ethiopia's vast majority of coffee processing is centralized due to a complete lack of infrastructure or efficiencies at the farm level. Still, larger plots like Tewabech's allow for greater personal control. This lot is Tewabech's entire specialty crop, harvested with the assistance of about seven workers, sorted for consistency, and sundried on her property on raised beds for about three weeks.

There are precious few single-farm coffees available in this part of Ethiopia. Not long ago, there were practically none at all. For the past 10 years, Royal, with support from select cooperatives, led the formation of the Single Farmer Lots Program to break off single farmer lots from the larger cooperative blends sold anonymously through the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX), taking custody of these precious coffees through a direct sale.

The program was a unique micro-channel of almost unprecedented specificity in coffee supply from Ethiopia during those first years. Farmers with the drive and means to sell directly were supported by Royal, and, in turn, our most enthusiastic buyers of Ethiopia coffee had access to a portfolio of single-farm lots, un-diluted by the typical cooperative- and exporter-level consolidations.

The Single Farmer Lots Program represented a delightful end to a chaotic chapter in Ethiopia's coffee history. We think it was a foundational model for what is happening now: the emergence of a new generation of micro-exporters engaged in start-up relationship farming in Ethiopia's world-famous southern zones, putting more diversity and traceability into the global market than ever before.

Tewabech Tilo started processing and marketing her coffee in 2019. After losing her husband 27 years ago, she raised her 6 children alone - all of whom are now college-educated and work to help support her and her farm. Tewabech's coffee is managed and exported by Konga Trading PLC, a recently formed company owned by, who else, the former General Manager of the Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union (YCFCU), Takele Mammo. Takele was an instrumental partner of Royal's during his time at YCFCU, helping us identify and successfully export single farmer lots for the first time in the Union's long history.


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Customer Reviews

Based on 4 reviews
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M
Mike Ryan
Yergacheffe

This Ethiopian smells like moist, rich earth. The taste is a medium body delight. Full, rich flavors that linger. If you like the Kenya, you'll love this brew. Perfectly roasted thanks OBR!

J
Julianne HW
Unique and wonderful

When this coffee comes around we always buy it and enjoy it to the last drop. To me it's one of the most special coffees in the world. Delicious, smooth, rich and luxurious. Thank you, Seth for bringing it our way!

J
Justin Wilson
Delicious coffee

I was told about Old Bisbee from a friend, and am very happy that I gave them a try .

D
Diane
You cannot beat this Ethiopian coffee

This coffee is not always available, but when it is, I snap it up! Smooth, Rich, Delish!