Ethiopia
Duromina
2015

Washed, Dried On Raised Beds process 1274, Ethiopian Heirloom

Flavour: dried apricot, mandarin, bergamot

Body: Acidity:

Duromina is a relatively new cooperative in the Jimma region of Ethiopia. The name roughly translates as “to improve their lives” in the Afan Oromo language.

Farmers cultivate their coffee in small homesteads and on hillsides under the shade of dense canopies provided by indigenous Acacia trees. There is no use of chemicals for their coffee, making it completely natural.

Sorting the wet parchment at Duromina. Photo: Nordic Approach

The wet mill sources most of its water from a nearby uncontaminated river, with their supply fed by gravity. Waste water from processing is treated through planted vetiver grass and two large dugout lagoons. The pulp created during processing is mixed with soil to create compost and can be used as fertiliser.

Technoserve

Before establishing the Duromina cooperative, farmers had to transport their coffee crops to a wetmill on the other side of a valley, crossing a river which regularly flooded in harvest season. The quality of the farmer's crops was greatly reduced due to delays reaching the mill, sometimes forcing them to sell their crop unprocessed and at greatly reduced prices.

Like Nano Chala, the Duromina cooperative is a success story for the not-for-profit organisation Technoserve, who helped secure the funding and training necessary for the wetmill in 2010.

This change meant farmers no longer needed transportation to reach a mill, or were forced to sell unprocessed beans for a lower price. Just a year later in 2011, Duromina’s coffee was voted the best coffee in all of Africa.

Soon major international coffee roasters came to the Duromina, meeting with coffee farmers and paying an premium of at least 65% over the international commodity price.

The farmers used this additional income to improve their homes, expand the local school, and build a bridge to connect their village with the larger communities and markets across the river: they’re bringing their whole community with them on the journey out of poverty

Keep reading

Learn everything about this coffee:

Ethical, traceable sourcing

This page has all the sourcing information (variety, process, region, story, importer, and more) that our importers share with us, and give us permission to use.

The transparency helps us talk confidently about the quality and background of our product, and it helps you know exactly what you’re buying.

Learn more:
Coffee page transparency legend
Our coffee philosophy
Our business approach

Fresh harvest coffee

We only source and roast coffee from each country’s latest harvest season (so the green coffee is never older than 1 year from the time of picking, processing and packing). This ensures the sensory qualities are always at their peak and unaffected by excessive ageing.

Roasted for espresso and filter (best enjoyed black)

Roast style: omni. Omni roasts are designed to brew and taste great both as espresso and filter. Our omni single origins generally sit on Agtron values in the ~70-60 value range. So, technically, they are somewhere in the lighter side of the medium spectrum.

Designed for espresso and filter brewing. Best enjoyed black.

Learn more:
Our Loring Kestrel S35 roaster
Our roasting style and approach

Best brewed within days 15-49 post-roast

The ‘fresh is best’ saying doesn’t apply to coffee (contrary to popular belief). Waiting before opening and brewing your bag of whole coffee beans helps develop peak flavour and acidity.

But heads up: if you buy pre-ground coffee, brew it as soon as possible.

Learn more:
Our recommended brewing window

Try our custom brewing recipes

Our recipes and ratios are tailored to our coffee sourcing and roasting styles, bringing the best flavour and feel out of each coffee.

For pour over, immersion, and other filter brewing styles, check our brew guides.
For our espresso single origins, we recommend a coffee:yield ratio of 1:3:

Dose: 20g ground coffee
Yield: 60g espresso
Total brew time: ~24-28 seconds

This is just a starting point! We encourage you to experiment, taste, and adjust to find the recipe that you enjoy the most.

Learn more:
Our espresso brew guide (single origin)
Brewing ratio calculator

Packaging and sustainability

Bags: ABA-certified home compostable (AS 5810-2010)
Labels: recyclable
Valves (only on +250g bags): general waste
Box and tape (online orders): recyclable

Learn more:
Our packaging

Producer: Duromina Cooperative
Country: Ethiopia
Region: Goma, Agaro District, Jimma Zone
Altitude: 1950m above sea level
Varieties: 1274, Ethiopian Heirloom
Process: Washed, Dried On Raised Beds
Importer: Silo/Nordic Approach
Body: Light
Acidity: Balanced
Tasting notes: Dried apricot, mandarin, bergamot
Roast style: Omni (filter + espresso)

Varieties

Ethiopian Heirloom variety

Heirloom (or sometimes Landrace) is an umbrella term that refers to all the coffee varietals endemic to Ethiopia.

The location

Coffee from Ethiopia

Seen as the birthplace of domesticated coffee, there are not many more exciting times at the Sample warehouse as when our fresh Ethiopian lots arrive. Legend says it’s our favourite origin…

The Jimma region of Ethiopia

Region in the southwest that traditionally only produced commodity grade coffee. With increased exposure and education the truly great potential of this area is beginning to be realised. Can also be referred to as ‘Jimmah’, ‘Jimma’, and ‘Djimmah’

Farm processes

Washed, Dried On Raised Beds process

Machines are used to remove the flesh from the coffee cherry before being fermented in water, washed again, and finally sun dried. This process tends to result in more distinct, cleaner flavours.