Hailing from the town of Ch’elelek’tu in the Kochere region of Yirgacheffe, It is a washed coffee with all the classic notes we find so highly intoxicating from coffees of this region. It coffee comes to us from the local cooperative wet mill that’s fed by various local small holders, all with small amounts of land dedicated to coffee farming.
An elegant, delicate & floral cup, this coffee suits both filter and espresso drinkers.
Chelelektu is a washed heirloom variety grown at 1850-2000 meters above sea level. Ripe cherries are delivered to mill where cherries are graded, sorted, de-pulped and then fermented under water for between 36 – 48 hours, depending on temperature, humidity and other factors. Ethiopian fermentation times are generally longer than other African countries, as temperatures are generally cooler in the highlands of Ethiopian.
This coffee comes to us from the local cooperative wet mill that’s fed by various local small holders, all with small amounts of land dedicated to coffee farming. Virtually all the coffee that comes out of Ethiopian leaves under the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX) and this coffee is no different. Whilst that typically means virtually no traceability back to the farm on which the coffee was grown, it does ensure a swift and standardised payment system for the producers.
Here is a general rundown of how the ECX chain works in Ethiopia:
- Farmers deliver cherry to local wet mills. Some wet mills pay a premium for better quality cherry, some do not.
- The wet mill then delivers parchment coffee to a delivery station warehouse. In Yirgacheffe, this delivery station is in Dila.
- Coffees are labeled with a region and then are graded based both on physical qualities as well as cup quality. Higher quality coffee fetches a higher price.
- Coffee is categorized into 81 generic grades of coffee at the ECX: Processing: Washed, Un-washed, Region: Yirgacheffe, Sidama, Limu, etc. Flavour: A (Representative of region’s cup characteristics) B (Less so), Grade: 1-9 (defect count). Traceability on the coffee an exporter purchases coffee through the ECX will, at most, be labelled as region followed by mill/coop: “Yirgacheffe: Konga” or “Sidama: Borena.” In this case, it’s “Yirgacheffe: Werka Chelchele”.
- Once a specific lot is purchased, it is then shipped to the buyer (typically an exporter in Ethiopia).
Full lots come divided in 30 bag chop sub-lots (parchment). Exporters who are buying and selling many containers will cup through the sub-lots to select the top lots and build a full container from these.
The ECX does not allow for complete traceability, but coffee cooperatives in Ethiopia do have the ability to go around the ECX and export the coffee themselves. Coffees that are exported by a cooperative can have traceability, possibly even to a single farmer but these coffees are increasingly difficult to find and bring in.
We have cupped literally dozens of washed Ethiopians this season, from just about every mill across the key producing regions and for us, this coffee has been the standout offer based on its big pronounced juicy sweetness, clean acidity and character
An elegant, delicate & floral cup, this coffee suits both filter and espresso drinkers.
Chelelektu is a washed heirloom variety grown at 1850-2000 meters above sea level. Ripe cherries are delivered to mill where cherries are graded, sorted, de-pulped and then fermented under water for between 36 – 48 hours, depending on temperature, humidity and other factors. Ethiopian fermentation times are generally longer than other African countries, as temperatures are generally cooler in the highlands of Ethiopian.
This coffee comes to us from the local cooperative wet mill that’s fed by various local small holders, all with small amounts of land dedicated to coffee farming. Virtually all the coffee that comes out of Ethiopian leaves under the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX) and this coffee is no different. Whilst that typically means virtually no traceability back to the farm on which the coffee was grown, it does ensure a swift and standardised payment system for the producers.
Here is a general rundown of how the ECX chain works in Ethiopia:
- Farmers deliver cherry to local wet mills. Some wet mills pay a premium for better quality cherry, some do not.
- The wet mill then delivers parchment coffee to a delivery station warehouse. In Yirgacheffe, this delivery station is in Dila.
- Coffees are labeled with a region and then are graded based both on physical qualities as well as cup quality. Higher quality coffee fetches a higher price.
- Coffee is categorized into 81 generic grades of coffee at the ECX: Processing: Washed, Un-washed, Region: Yirgacheffe, Sidama, Limu, etc. Flavour: A (Representative of region’s cup characteristics) B (Less so), Grade: 1-9 (defect count). Traceability on the coffee an exporter purchases coffee through the ECX will, at most, be labelled as region followed by mill/coop: “Yirgacheffe: Konga” or “Sidama: Borena.” In this case, it’s “Yirgacheffe: Werka Chelchele”.
- Once a specific lot is purchased, it is then shipped to the buyer (typically an exporter in Ethiopia).
Full lots come divided in 30 bag chop sub-lots (parchment). Exporters who are buying and selling many containers will cup through the sub-lots to select the top lots and build a full container from these.
The ECX does not allow for complete traceability, but coffee cooperatives in Ethiopia do have the ability to go around the ECX and export the coffee themselves. Coffees that are exported by a cooperative can have traceability, possibly even to a single farmer but these coffees are increasingly difficult to find and bring in.
We have cupped literally dozens of washed Ethiopians this season, from just about every mill across the key producing regions and for us, this coffee has been the standout offer based on its big pronounced juicy sweetness, clean acidity and character
Altitude: 1850-2000 meters above sea level
Farm/Coop: Chelelektu Mill
Great for: Aeropress, Cafetiere, Espresso, Filter, With milk
Origin: Africa/Ethiopia - Chelelektu, Kochere
Owner: 500 local smallholders
Process Method: Washed - and sun dried
Tasting Notes: Complex white peach, jasmine, preserved lemons and a hint of apricot.
Varietals: Heirloom varietals