Ethiopia
Girma Sintayehu
Kurume

This coffee from Girma’s farm in Biloya is 100% Kurume, a sub varietal of the Ethiopian Heirloom umbrella. It’s a refreshing, sweet, and overall delicious cup, with notes of apricot, lemon myrtle, and honeydew melon.

Washed process Kurume

Flavour: apricot, lemon myrtle, honeydew melon

Body: Acidity:

Roast: omni (filter + espresso)

Single-producer lots from Ethiopia are a rarity, but Girma has achieved this distinction with talent and years of dedication. Expect a breezy brew with sweet and fruity flavours.

Single producers like Girma Sintayehu are rare in Ethiopia, where coffee produced in cooperatives dominate the national output.

Girma, a current member of Jabanto farmers group, started producing coffee in 1991 after spending several years trading other commodities between the Dilla and Biloya towns. Since then, he has become highly knowledgeable in harvest and processing techniques, constantly staying up to date with the latest trends and technology thanks to his close collaboration with the bureau of agriculture and research centre. This extensive experience has naturally led him to become a leader and organiser for the community of coffee growers around the region.

Today, Girma grows coffee on his own 7-hectare farm in the village of Biloya, and sometimes contracts it from other producers near the Sashamene village where he can source different varietals.

This is a fully washed lot of Kurume, a sub-varietal that falls under the Heirloom or landrace umbrella. Once the ripe cherries arrive at the station, they are immediately pulped and soaked under water for 48 hours (this is the wet fermentation stage). Then, the mucilage (or outer layers) are removed using clean water and the clean parchment coffee beans are transferred to another tank where they stay submerged in water for 2-4 additional hours. Finally, a combined drying stage of over 10 days sees the beans reach a humidity level of ~10%—the green coffee is ready to store and await shipping.

All images and information about this coffee and producers have been kindly shared by its importer, Condesa CoLab, and edited by us, Sample Coffee (unless linked to or credited otherwise).

Our ‘sweet spot’ for opening each coffee bag and brewing its contents is during days ~15-35 post-roast date.

Learn more about our updated coffee aging recommendations.

Need any brewing tips?

Head to our brew guides and find your favourite filter method—or head straight to our single origin espresso recipe. If you have further questions, send us an email. We’re always keen to help.

Sourcing and ingredients

100% Kurume coffee beans, provided by Condesa Co.Lab and roasted by us on Gadigal land / Sydney.

Country grade: Unknown ?

Packaging

Bag: ABA Certified home compostable
Label: Recyclable
Valve (on bags larger than 250g): General waste
Coffee ordered online is shipped in a recyclable cardboard box

Brewing this coffee

We recommend brewing this coffee 15–49 days post-roast. If pre-ground, brew as soon as possible. Our advice on storing coffee.

1:3
dose:yield
ratio

To brew on espresso, we recommend using 20g of beans (dose) to get 60g of espresso out (yield), during 24-28 seconds.

g dose

g yield

View the how to brew espresso (single origin) guide.

1:16.7
beans:water
ratio

To brew in infusion/fed brewers (V60, Chemex) use a ratio of 1:16.7 ratio of beans:water.

g beans

g water

View full recipes and videos in our brewguides

1:14.3
beans:water
ratio

To brew in immersion brewers (plunger, AeroPress, Kalita, batch brewer) we recommend using a 1:14.3 ratio of beans:water

g beans

g water

View full recipes and videos in our brewguides

1:12
beans:water
ratio

To brew as cold brew we recommend using a 1:12 ratio of beans:water

g beans

g water

View full recipes and videos in our brewguides

Producer: Girma Sintayehu
Country: Ethiopia
Region: Biloya, Kochere
Altitude: 1800-1950m above sea level
Varietals: Kurume
Process: washed
Body
Acidity
Tasting notes: Apricot, lemon myrtle, honeydew melon
Roast style: Omni (filter + espresso)

Varietals

Kurume varietal

An Ethiopian sub-varietal that falls under the umbrella of Heirloom/landrace category, called as such in the Yirgacheffe area but referred to as Kudhum in Guji.

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 Kochere region of Ethiopia

Farm processes

Washed 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.