Ethiopia · Guji · Carbonic Maceration
The Kalimaz project is run by Tariku Getachew, who is 27. Between 500 and 750 farmers in Guji grow coffee for it, at 1,800 to 2,100 meters in the shade of native trees. Most Ethiopian coffee is processed the way it's been done for generations. Tariku is trying something different, and this is a very small lot of it.
The process is called carbonic maceration, and it comes from winemaking in Beaujolais, France. Whole cherries are sealed in stainless steel tanks filled with carbon dioxide and kept cool for five days. That slow, controlled ferment holds on to the sugars instead of burning through them. Then the cherries dry on raised beds for 36 to 40 days, about twice as long as a typical natural. That's where the wine character comes from.
In the cup, red wine leads. Grape candy brings sweetness, honey rounds it out, and jasmine gives the finish a floral note.
The result is fruity, a little winey and very sweet. It's experimental without being weird for the sake of it.
Ethiopia, borrowing from the vineyard.
On resting: Our coffees are roasted to order. For the first couple of weeks after roasting, the coffee keeps releasing CO2. As it settles, harsh or roasty edges soften and the sweetness comes forward. We recommend resting this one at least 14 days after the roast date. Dense, high-grown lots like this often hit their peak between 3 and 6 weeks.
