Lot 25.11

Even though we knew what we were going to do ahead of time, we listed this lot as a mysterious “experimental surprise.” It was fun to see roasters’ curiosity piqued… and also fun to reveal that this lot was processed as a thermal shock! At some origins thermal shock is not that big of a deal, but in Ethiopia it is very, very special, and this one comes with a great story. 

After selecting the best cherries from both our farm and our community farmers, we put them in our blue barrels and sealed them for several hours to ferment. The idea with thermal shock is to stop the fermentation process quickly by using either hot or cold temperatures, therefore creating a unique cup profile. We decided the most fun way to try it would be with ice – but where were we going to get ice?! We’re based in the poorest region of Ethiopia with very little access to electricity, so we definitely don’t have freezers at our mills.

We decided to look for ice at the nearest town, but they were also having electricity problems, so no ice. Hester and team member Burakie drove the pickup truck to a few supermarkets in Sidama’s capital Awassa, over 2 hours away, but still no ice.

Finally they had a brilliant idea. Nightclubs serve whiskey on the rocks, so they must have access to ice! After sourcing a few small bags of ice from some clubs, Hester and Burakie took things to the next level by locating the ice wholesaler who supplied the clubs. Bundled up in hats, gloves, and coats, they completely filled the bed and cab of the truck with ice, AC blasting and hearts racing to make the 2-hour drive back to the mill.

They arrived back just in time (and with just enough ice still intact!) to start the thermal shock process with a crazy happy mill team, who completed the job with plenty of dancing and celebration. Definitely one of the highlights of our mill experiences this season!

Coming soon

Taferi Kela

We are rooted in our communities and committed to building a positive and sustainable future by educating and creating equal opportunity jobs at our own facilities.

By distributing climate-resistant seedlings and providing "learning by doing" programs for children and adults, we facilitate our communities to transform their futures. We are honored to work with local chiefs, community leaders, and smallholder farmers to grow and source our spectacular Bette Buna coffees.

At our farms in Taferi Kela-Sidamo and Guji-Megadu we work closely with our family and neighbours to grow seedlings, rewild coffee forests, and train farmers in methods of growing and processing that create opportunities for everyone in our community.

Learn more!