Gelana Abaya – Natural
Berries and fruit lead the flavor profile for this Ethiopian natural process. Strawberry, dried blueberries, even some raspberry, w/ some hints of lavender. We found an oh-so-subtle chocolate note at the end as well. It felt like a cousin of our Guatemalan Blue Ayarza in some ways. It’s a very full flavored coffee, solid and vibrant.
The location of where these beans come from has some mild debate in the uptight, snooty world of single origin coffees. While Bule Hora, and Gelana Abaya, where the beans are grown and then processed, respectively, are not technically right in Yirgacheffe, the towns are so close in proximity and employ the Yirgacheffe methods are used, that it is ruled to have a Yirgacheffe profile by the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange, and is therefore considered a Yirgacheffe coffee. Whatever it is, it’s a fantastic coffee that we all loved.
After being picked at elevations ranging from elevations of 5,100-5,700 feet, the beans are dried on raised beds for 18-21 days. During the hottest and sunniest time of the day they are raked frequently, and then covered to protect them from the sun, then uncovered for several hours to help the drying process, but then covered overnight to protect them from moisture (coffee beans are pretty high maintenance, eh?).
2 reviews for Gelana Abaya – Natural
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jnester22079 (verified owner) –
finally got this one dialed in. these beans taste great as espresso. i used 203F, 20 seconds preinfusion at 2 bar then slowly increase to 6.5 bar. 15g in 44g out. i tasted the strawberry & berry notes. equipment used rancilio silvia with PID and dimmer and Turin grinder
petertessier –
Used these beans for a latte, excellent as expected. The fruity overtones sat nicely on the silky milk flavor, with a satisfying aftertaste. The freshness makes a world of difference in both extracting a smooth shot and producing a rich final beverage.