African Coffee Regions - Tariku & Usongwe

African Coffee Regions - Tariku & Usongwe

This month we are exploring two coffee giants from East Africa. An exquisite coffee from Ethiopia with taste notes of guava, pineapple and strawberry and an equally delicious variety from Tanzania with notes of caramel, chocolate and citrus. What's not to love?

Let's explore these two delicious examples of African speciality coffee.


Ethiopia - Tariku

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Ethiopia has a longstanding tradition of growing coffee which dates back centuries and is where arabica coffee originates. The plant is now grown in various parts of the world.

Ethiopia never disappoints and this particular variety is a prime example of that. The natural Tariku coffee is produced by Tariku Mengesha entirely on his farm. Coffee is Mengesha’s primary income, which he uses to support his family. 

The farm is located in the Banko Chelchele Kebele neighbourhood of Gedeb Woreda, south of Yirgacheffe and just west of the the vast Oromia region.

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Tariku applied the basic agronomic practices and keeps the field free of any weeds and grows pulse crops in his coffee field to maintain the fertility of the soil.

This small lot is as a natural process coffee. First the cherries are soaked to remove all immature, overripe and foreign matters and then dried on raised beds for one month. This really is a very special coffee.

Region: Gedeb Woreda
Altitude: 2011 masl
Process: Natural
100% Arabica

 Tanzania - Usongwe AA

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The Usongwe variety is the definition of community grown coffee. This coffee is produced by members of the AMCOS co-op which is made up of over 500 smallholder farmers. The importance of coffee farming to this community can't be overstated, with it being the main source of income providing food and clothing for their families. 

Most of the farmers have a long family history of producing coffee, learning and inheriting skills and traditions from their fathers and grandfathers over generations. The average age of trees on these farms are over 30 years old, remaining strong and productive due to the care of the farmers that own them.

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Access to water for irrigation during the dry season remains a challenge for these farmers. Farmers on average produce around 360kg of green coffee per year which make this coffee even more special when we get the chance to taste it. Enjoy this incredible example of African speciality coffee.

Region: Mbeya
Altitude: 1460 masl
Process: Washed
100% Arabica

Asante.

 

 


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