Ethiopia Guji Buku Sayisa Natural

Details

Buku Sayisa is a washing station in West Guji, Ethiopia, renowned for its certified organic coffee. While organic practices are common among Ethiopian farmers, Buku Sayisa stands out by pursuing formal organic certification, a rare feat in the region due to the high costs associated with certification. Specializing in natural coffee processing, the station sources ripe cherries from farms located at an impressive 2,300 meters above sea level. These cherries are carefully dried on raised beds for 12 to 15 days, with meticulous attention to avoid overfermentation. This detailed processing approach results in elegant cup profiles, with Buku Sayisa’s Grade 1 (G1) coffee offering a sweet, sugary taste complemented by flavors of berries, subtle melon, and floral notes of jasmine and juniper.

Traceability is a key value at Buku Sayisa, which employs a voucher system to track each coffee lot throughout its entire production journey. From the receiving station to the drying beds, every stage of production is documented, ensuring a direct connection between the coffee and the farmers who grew it.

Located in the Guji region, Buku Sayisa is part of a deep cultural tradition tied to coffee. The Oromo people, who have long inhabited the area, tell the legend of the sky god Waaqa, whose tears, shed in mourning for a servant’s unjust death, gave rise to the coffee plant. Coffee has played a vital role in Oromo culture since at least the 10th century, with beans historically mixed with fats to provide energy during long journeys. Today, Guji farmers continue to practice traditional agricultural methods, intercropping coffee with crops like maize, barley, wheat, and beans, all while cultivating indigenous coffee varieties that thrive in the region’s fertile soil.

Ethiopian coffee is famous worldwide for its bright fruit and floral notes, exceptional acidity, and natural sweetness, despite making up only 3-4% of global coffee production. Ethiopian coffee is graded based on both physical attributes and flavor profile, with Grade 1 and 2 beans classified as specialty coffee. Among the country’s most celebrated coffee-growing regions are Yirgacheffe, Sidama, and Guji, where Buku Sayisa is located, each known for its distinct and remarkable flavor profiles.

The coffee produced at Buku Sayisa Mill is managed by Azeb Tadesse Coffee Supply and includes varieties such as Dega, Kurame, and 74110. The station uses the natural processing method, with the harvest season running from November to January.