CROWN JEWEL ETHIOPIA ORGANIC KONGA TAKELE MAMMO DENBI NATURAL

Taste

Taste Analysis by Chris Kornman 

This is my favorite natural Ethiopia of the season. It tastes great, was an almost-overlooked underdog at the cupping table, and its farmer is single-handedly responsible for creating traceability in the cooperative system in Gedeo. What’s not to love? 

Where to begin? The cupping backstory, I suppose.  

This coffee wasn’t offered to us as a Crown Jewel, it was purchased outright by Royal “for the sheet” as we say, i.e., coffee we don’t have a particular buyer in mind for, but purchase with the expectation that roasters will find it compelling and choose it from our offer list. It’s exceedingly rare for us to select Crown Jewels in this way. We only stumbled across it when we were looking for potential blend components, if you can believe it. Rescued from that fate by virtue of its deliciousness, this coffee immediately struck me as lavender and raspberry-jam-like in character. 

Since that initial serendipitous cupping, we’ve tasted it a few more times and while it’s not everyone’s favorite natural Ethiopia of the season, it remains on the top of my list. Consistently sweet and fruity with not the slightest trace of booziness, I particularly appreciate its delicate floral notes and its effortless drinkability. 

Ok, there’s a personal connection here that must be unpacked as well, because it turns out the farmer isn’t just any old coffee grower. Takele Mammo was Royal’s primary contact to the cooperatives in Gedeo for more than a decade. He was the boss, the managing director of the entire coop union! 

By way of background: for as long as I can remember, the name Yirgacheffe has been widely acknowledged as the pinnacle of Ethiopian coffee quality. Technically its boundaries are restricted to a small district, but the town’s name has become a metonym for the entire region, particularly after the formation of the Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmer’s Cooperative Union (YCFCU) in 2002, such that any coffee produced in the Gedeo zone became colloquially known as a Yirgacheffe. 

In 2008, coffee buyers lost access to traceable coffee in the country due to the government’s imposition of the ECX, the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange. From that year until about 2017, if you bought traceable Yirgacheffe coffee, and especially if you bought single-farmer lots through Royal, you have Takele Mammo to thank for it. For every story about complicated trade relations with Takele (and most folks have at least one), there are hundreds of wonderous coffees that we’d never have known about without him. 

It’s a unique twist of fate that now, after a storied career as YCFCU’s managing director, he should be humbly and quietly supplying us with delicious coffee from his own small farm, exported with the assistance of YCFCU’s Konga cooperative, of which he is a proud member. 

Source

Source Analysis by Charlie Habegger 

The creation of the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX) in 2008 significantly limited farm-level traceability. In a noble effort to reduce nepotism and fraudulent marketing by bad actors in the chain (both of which directly hurt farmers’ chances in the market), the Exchange instituted a nationalized system of purely empirical quality analysis. This was achieved by anonymizing coffee deliveries to government-run sensory analysis hubs throughout the country. In these labs, samples would be cupped and the entire lot would then be profiled by region and grade only, for internal auction to exporters. Where all of this backfired was in relationship markets: longtime microlot buyers like Royal could risk losing access to very established producer partnerships as their coffees were blinded in the Exchange; and, enterprising coops, unable to show their coffees directly to buyers, found it more difficult to find their coffees a consistent home for the highest value. 

In response, Royal, with support from select cooperatives, led the formation of the Single Farmer Lots Program, in order to break off single farmer lots from the larger cooperative blends sold through the ECX, taking custody of these precious coffees through a direct sale. The program is a unique micro-channel of almost unprecedented specificity in coffee supply from Ethiopia. Farmers with the drive and means to sell direct are supported by Royal, and, in turn, our most enthusiastic buyers of Ethiopia coffee have access to a portfolio of single-farm lots, un-diluted by the typical cooperative- and exporter-level consolidations. The Single Farmer Lots Program represents a very sweet end to a chaotic recent chapter in Ethiopia’s coffee history, and we think it’s a model for what ought to be a generation of start-up relationship farming in Ethiopia’s world-famous southern zones. 

Annual farm visits from Royal CEO Max Nicholas-Fulmer and regular communication with farmers through Haile Andualem, Royal’s representative on the ground in Ethiopia, has been an essential component for ensuring that farmers and washing stations are following strict farm management and post-harvest protocols. The results have been increasing cup quality and higher returns for the individual producers that Royal has come to count on for great coffee year after year. 

Takele Mammo Denbi, at 47 years, is a brand-new participant in the Single Farmer Lots Program this year, but not at all new to the direct export process. Takele is currently stepping down after many years as the Managing Director of the Yirgacheffe Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union, of which his own farm has been a member. Takele has worked closely with Royal over the years helping this program succeed, but to avoid any conflict of interest excluded his personal coffee from the program. Takele cultivated this single farmer lot on his 8-hectare farm in the Konga disctrict, located in the heart of the coveted Gedeo Zone—the narrow section of plateau dense with savvy farmers whose coffee is known as “Yirgacheffe”. The Konga cooperative is well-known for its quality, and it’s a distinct pleasure having individual farmers from this perennially impressive community to celebrate, not to mention one as dedicated to farmer opportunity as Takele. 

Green

Green Analysis by Isabella Vitaliano 

This region produces a large chunk of the very highest caliber coffee grown in the world. This producer is no stranger to quality control; we expect clean specs and that is exactly what we got. Most of the coffee sits in the lower screen size range around 15-16; these beans are as cute as they are delicious. Even with shipping delays this coffee tastes fresh and delicious. Trust me, this one is worth the wait.  

Indigenous heirloom cultivars include those that are native to the country and can still be found wild in some regions. There are many guesses about where Ethiopian Arabica landraces came from, likely on the Boma plateau, but this is not 100% confirmed. Heirloom cultivars from Ethiopia are thought to be floral, citrusy, clean — the cream of the crop. There are upwards of 10,000 heirloom cultivars in Ethiopia today. 

Diedrich

Diedrich IR5 Analysis by Doris Garrido 

Machine: Diedrich IR5  

Batch Size: 5.5 lbs. 

Ethiopia Konga Takele Natural is another exceptional coffee from this region that I have the great opportunity to roast. With its remarkable floral, berries and sweetness potential, here’s how I have approached the roasting of this coffee.  

Diedrich roasters sometimes take time to respond to the gas adjustments. To roast this Ethiopia, I started by warming the drum to 450F with 100% gas and 50% airflow as I prefer using air while roasting Ethiopians.

As I expected I achieved a slightly fast turning and began reducing the gas before the yellowing to maximize the caramelization time. As I mentioned before I need to adjust the gas early on the roast with this machine; otherwise, I will lose control once the coffee loses moisture. I made these decisions based on the rate of change, reducing the gas to 30% at 277F before the color change. I smoothly spent 3 minutes and 43 seconds in the yellowing phase, which was ideal, and marked the first crack at 385F adding 100% airflow, I needed to turn off the burner as the heat was rising, and dropped the coffee at 407F with a minute and 19 seconds of post-development.  

This coffee is a pleasure to enjoy. The time spent in yellowing brings out delicious strawberry jam taste with dry fruits and black berries, and a touch of mint. It is a very clean and sweet coffee that highlights a delicate floral note. 

Aillio Bullet R1

Aillio Bullet R1 IBTS Analysis by Evan Gilman 

Unless otherwise noted, we use both the roast.world site and Artisan software to document our roasts on the Bullet. You can find our roast documentation below, by searching on roast.world, or by clicking on the Artisan links below.  

Lately, I’ve been experimenting with high charge temperatures to mixed success. I’m happy to say that my roast with this coffee was somewhat of a success, so I’d like to share it with you.  

I don’t believe I’ve ever been disappointed with a coffee holding the Konga name, and one of the first coffees that astounded me with its extremely long shelf life was indeed a Konga that was more than a year past crop. Keep that in mind: past crop is only a chronological marker, not a flavor! 

So I started this roast with 500F charge temperature, higher than usual. I also started with a slightly lower heat application of P6, looking to extend the drop before turning point a touch. I even began with F4 fan, more airflow than usual since I knew I was working with a hot roaster. At turning point, I increased heat application to P8, then dropped to P7 with F5 fan once I hit the peak rate of change at about 2:00 / 275F, and 44F/min change – pretty speedy by my standards. I kept at P7 until first crack and simply toggled between F4 and F5 to keep the rate of change dropping as I approached the end of the roast. I even ramped up to F6 and finally F7 as the end of the roast neared. The roast concluded at 9:08 / 397F, at about 10F/min as the coffee left the roaster. I was pretty satisfied with this roast, but would have liked to see a lower peak in rate of change, no more than 40F/min; any higher and I tend to get toasty/crackery notes in the cup. 

And how about the cup? This one was full of blackberry and raspberry compote fruitiness. Not so much sticky and jammy as it was clean and refreshing – think cobbler served cool rather than hot. Accompanying this was plenty of dark chocolate and black tea, with a really nice buttery texture to really fill out the cup. Many Yemeni coffees I’ve tried have this buttery texture, so if that’s something you’re into, this coffee is a good option. Of course, what would an Ethiopian coffee be without the floral? Right at the end of my flavor experience, I got a fleeting lily or jasmine floral that just kept me coming back for more. 

If you’re looking for fruit, but not a fruit bomb, this is a great coffee to have on the menu. Though I didn’t get to taste the espresso, I can see from Asha’s notes that this coffee absolutely rips under pressure. And I mean rips in the Australian sense of “is awesome.” Give it a shot! 

Follow along with my roast here at roast.world: https://roast.world/egilman/roasts/ysQLvYaz0yyQo4xSPUPCm 

IKAwa

Ikawa Pro V3 Analysis by Isabella Vitaliano  

Our current Ikawa practice compares two sample roast profiles, originally designed for different densities of green coffee. The two roasts differ slightly in total length, charge temperature, and time spent between color change in first crack. You can learn more about the profiles here. 

From the Konga region of Ethiopia we have a new lot that is an excellent display of processing and region character in a juicy cup with clean fruit and surprising botanicals. We got notes like honey, grape, strawberry jam, blackberry, mint and plum. 

The high density cup surprised me as I assumed it would easily outshine the low density roast. The high density was zesty, with some fruit but leaned a bit tea-like and thin. On the low density notes we got lots of flavors like plum apricot, strawberries cookie and sugar cones. 

Overall, the low density roast had more structure and more depth – Doris and I both preferred the low density roast. Cheers! 

You can roast your own by linking to our profiles in the Ikawa Pro app here: 

• Roast 1: Low Density Sample Roast 
• Roast 2: High Density Sample Roast   

Brew

Brew Analysis by Tim Tran 

We are beginning to see more coffees out of Ethiopia arrive and I could not be more excited to jump into this organic natural coffee from Yirgacheffe. This particular coffee is a single lot from Takele Mammo Denbi, a producer with a longstanding history with coffee from Yirgacheffe and Takele’s coffee quality stands out as an excellent cup. 

Getting into the brew analysis, I started at a fairly standard ratio of 1:15.79 with a moderately coarse grind setting on both a conical and flat bottom brewer. These initial brews showcased how soluble this coffee is, with above average extraction percentages and TDS for both brews. The flavor density was quite high at this grind setting across both brews yielding notes of toasted nuts, brown butter, and lemongrass. For the next brew I wanted to target opening the brew up for greater clarity in the brew and I opted to continue additional brews with a flat bottom brewer as it seemed to showcase a well-struck balance between the body and flavor notes in this coffee. 

For the next brew, in order to further examine the solubility, I moved to a fairly coarse grind setting. Even at a coarse grind setting, the brew was swimming with flavors, and it was at this grind setting that a lot more of the ripe fruit notes stood out. The brew was still very rich with a pleasant mouthfeel and showcased notes of apple, nectarines and grapefruit. 

A coarse grind felt appropriate for assessing the solubility of the coffee, so for the next couple brews I wanted to examine the impact of dose on the brew. Initially, I moved to a lower dose, with a 1:17.65 ratio. At this ratio, the extraction increased a fair amount. The brew had a flavor profile showcasing toasted nuts, nectarines, and dark cacao. Moving to a higher dose, with a 1:15 ratio, we found the coffee to have an intense flavor density of almonds, sesame, and brown butter, with a fairly decadent body.  

Ultimately, I enjoyed the brew most at a 1:15.79 ratio with a moderately coarse grind setting. I recommend brewing this coffee on a flat bottom brewer, targeting a moderate extraction, with a moderately coarse grind to best enjoy the highly soluble nature of this coffee. I really enjoyed the complexity of how this coffee brewed and hope you do too! 

Espresso

Espresso Analysis by Asha Wells 

After almost a decade of dialing many different types of coffees for espresso, some of my all-time favorites have been Natural Ethiopian coffees, there’s a certain richness that feels built in. This coffee is no exception, these beans are small but powerful, absolutely brimming with cherry, and this coffee was a joy to work with! While there were many recipes in the running and it was difficult to choose, what I have is a star-studded pair! 

For the first recipe with a dose of 17.5g, a yield of 37g and taking 28 seconds, the shot was full bodied and very juicy. Every shot that I tasted of this coffee had such a forward cherryness to it. I was also tapping into an umami savory like miso, with a super buttery finish, c’est magnifique! While slightly tea-like, hinting at chamomile or rooibos, this shot had a wonderful sweetness about it like maple syrup and persimmon. Not over the top chocolatey, but definitely hinted at a carob or cacao. 

For my next recipe, weighing in at a 19.5g dose, yielding 38g and taking a grand total of 39 seconds, the shot had a lovely and fragrant wine-like body, that reminded me of a good pinot noir. The initial moments on the palate gave me a touch of grain reminiscent of malt with the light fermented flavor of sourdough. Palatably herbal, licorice, juniper and mulling spice comes to mind. This shot overall gave me the feeling of a hot-crossed bun, and a warm mug of mulled wine. Quite the auspicious gift for the impending holiday season! 

It was an absolute pleasure working with this coffee as an espresso, while honestly difficult for me to choose my favorite profiles, there was something to love about so many of them. My overall impression of this coffee was, HUGE cherry energy, big body, and very buttery. This coffee is amazing and has a high degree of workability when it comes to developing different profiles, enjoy!