Ethiopia Sidama Bonko
Ethiopia Sidama Bonko
Farm Description
This is a wet-processed coffee from the Bonko area, and the Bonko wet mill. I just can't say Bonko enough, you see. Bonko in the Sidama region, Dara Woreda (district). Bonko is a private washing station with about 350 farmers from the area selling their coffee cherry to the mill. Bonko farmers average less than 1/2 hectare each (1 acre) so you usually talk about farms by number of trees, rather than land area. I visited this mill earlier this month to see the early harvest for the coming crop that was coming in. They use a traditional disc pulper to remove the coffee cherry fruit skins, then use a very long 72 hour under-water, traditional fermentation to break down the mucilage layer of the fruit. The coffee is vigorously agitated in the fermentation tank with wooden paddles to work the mucilage off, then washed to a soaking tank for a clean water overnight bath. Finally it is taken to the raised beds for drying. It's the classic coffee processing method in Sidama and Yirga Cheffe zones, and one that develops very sweet and clean coffees.
Cupping Notes
The dry fragrance is mouth-watering in its sweetness, citrusy, with a light brown sugar scent. It develops a very sweet milk chocolate quality, laced with orange notes, at Full City roast. Adding hot water, the wet aromatic is piquant and delicately spiced with a fennel cookie sweetness and zesty, lemony-bright fruit. The cup taste has distinct brightness as well. (I hate to make a cliche, but ... it really "dances on the palate"). There is that sugary, confectionary sweetness , accented with citrus and a touch of spice. The body is clear and light, which suits the high tonal range of the cup well. I recommend light roasts here to compliment the bright cup, and not to overshadow the flavors I mention with a veil of darker roast taste. But I had great FC roasts as well. The body is a little heavier at FC, and the chocolate roast taste is suave, layered, backed with dark fruit tones. And if you like fairly bright espresso, and lighter body is okay with you, we have been pulling AMAZING single origin shots with this Bonko, roasted to Full City, just before 2nd cracks starts.
Score
Lot Size
Roast Recommendations
City to City+ is ideal for a bright cup. But I enjoyed the sweet chocolate of FC roast too.Processing
Varietal
Grade & Appearance
Packaging
Comments
#1 Roast Control
I found this Ethiopian to be rather endothermic compared to similar Ethiopians, and the roast degree/colour develops rather early in first crack.
Any recommendations on adjusting protocol? Ideally I try to hit 300 in five mins, quick as possible through 300-370, and slow through the final phase of development and stop the roast as early as possible, if chlorogenic acids are not prominent in the trier and right around 1st crack finishes up, usually in 10 mins, yet this coffee seems to take much longer in each of the three phases.
Recommendations/feedback?
#2 Control
I would maybe give a little more push initially, and don't slow it down as soon.
#3 Sankyou!! I upped the
Sankyou!! I upped the preheat temperature and that sure sped it through, and its tasting more or less as you guys describe it in your tasting notes. The only weirdness I'm finding is the coffee takes on a darkish brown colour/tone during or just prior to 1st crack, but before the bean itself has yet to expand. I experienced early darkening with the Nyeri Ichamara, so perhaps this is something related to bean density/moisture (coffee still tasted good and dropped on the tail of 1st). Too much conduction/not enough convection? I'm trying to figure out if this might be a moisture issue that requires an additional pre-drying phase (doubt it) or if it is a density thang (S-curve as per Mr. Boot). Probably a good sign, I should invest in a moisture meter, non?
Sorry for the newb questions. Thank you in advance for any help Mr. Schooley!
#4 Gone already!?
How can this be gone already? Any chance this will be offered again?
#5 'fraid so. We'll see new
'fraid so. We'll see new coffees from Ethiopia in a couple months.