ETHIOPIA, LALA SALAMA – EA DECAF

REGION: Limu, Western Ethiopia

PROCESS: EA decaf

VARIETAL: Mixed Heirloom Varietals

ALTITUDE: 2050 Masl

TASTE PROFILE: Cacao powder, hazelnuts, well rounded and lemon acidity

Over the years, Tadesse has built an excellent relationship with the growers that bring their ripe cherries to his site. This number has grown to 250 registered farmers who have come to rely on Tadesse’s expertise at the Gamacho washing station. Known for the extra care he takes to acquire good quality red cherries, as well as savvy sorting, processing, and drying, not only does Tadesse provide skill-building training to his client farmers on all aspects of coffee production, he also supports their initiatives in establishing their own coffee nursery sites, provides supply and quality-based price incentives for bringing high-quality cherries to the Gamacho washing station.

In addition to this wet mill, Tadesse also owns a dry mill in Daye, Bensa, and provides milling and warehousing services to other coffee producers in the area. He is a trusted coffee producer/supplier, and always strives to improve the quality of the coffee he processes. Tadesse and his wife, Mrs. Bekelech Burka, have nine children, six of whom are directly involved in coffee sourcing, transportation, pulping/milling, and drying.

EA PROCESS:

EA process uses Ethyl Acetate, which is a natural component found in substances like fruits and sugarcane. It can also be produced synthetically. In both cases, the solvent is food-safe.

Preparation: The green beans are steamed to open the cell structure (a bit like pores on skin).

Extraction: EA is added to the beans and extracts the caffeine from them. The beans are rinsed a few times with EA to remove all caffeine.

Finishing: Steam is then used to remove traces of the solvent and dry the beans back to their original moisture content.

Compared to water processes, the EA process has fewer steps because the solvent is highly effective at binding to caffeine. This reduces the stress on the internal cell structures of the coffee, resulting in fantastic cup quality.