Basha Bekele - Ethiopia, Red Honey process

Highlights

“This coffee comes from Bombe kebele in the Bensa district of Sidama, Ethiopia, a high-elevation region known for coffees with clarity, vibrant acidity, and layered sweetness. Grown at 2,100–2,200 meters, this lot is produced from heirloom and landrace varieties delivered by local smallholder farmers to the Basha Bekele washing station. The red honey process is what makes this coffee special: ripe cherries are placed in float tanks to remove lower-density fruit, then the outer skin is partially removed while a significant amount of mucilage is intentionally left on the parchment. This sticky, sugar-rich layer remains with the coffee during drying, playing an important role in building the coffee's sweetness, texture, and fruit-forward character. After depulping, the honey-processed beans are carefully spread on open-air drying tables and naturally sun-dried until they gradually reach the ideal moisture level.”