Ethiopia Guji Wush Wush 120 Hour Natural
Our first berry bomb of the year! This wush wush from the small village of Hambela in the Guji region was fermented for 120 hours before natural processing to bring out all the juicy, fruity flavor. In the cup, we got big notes of blackberry and strawberry along with boozy sangria and a hint of cacao nibs and lemon frosting.
Quick refresher: Wush wush (or Wushwush) is a village in the Keffa region of Ethiopia and also an heirloom variety of coffee (named for that village, of course). With wush wush gaining popularity in the specialty coffee world, farmers in other regions of Ethiopia have begun cultivating it, so not every wush wush comes from Keffa. Kind of a “every square is a rectangle but not every rectangle is a square” situation. And the bean is popular for a reason – it’s bright, sweet and super juicy!
And what’s the best way to get as much of that sweet juiciness out of these beans? Let ‘em sit and marinate a good long while. So at his washing station in Hambela, Asnake Kassa let these Grade 1 beans marinate for 120 hours. That’s the better part of a week! But all that patience paid off, this coffee is a knockout.
In fact, my samples were full on berry bombs! The cup is intensely sweet and juicy with big notes of ripe blackberry and strawberry. And if you like winey coffees, you’re gonna love this one because it’s also got a boozy vibe like blackberry wine or sangria. Finally, I got some hints of sweet lemon frosting and cacao nibs as the cup cooled. If you like natural processed Ethiopian coffee as much as I do, you’re not gonna wanna miss this one.
Reminder! This coffee is raw, you must roast it before brewing
Arrival Date: April 19th, 2024. Harvest season: 2023-24
Acidity & Brightness: Slightly tangy and intensely sweet
Balance & Finish: Slightly complex with a fairly clean finish
Body & Texture: Medium bodied and creamy
Flavors: Blackberry, strawberry, sangria & cacao nibs
Grade: Grade 1, grown at 2120 masl
Processing: Natural (dry) processed after 120 hours of fermentation. Sun dried on raised beds.
Grower: Smallholder farmers near Hambela| Asnake Kassa’s washing station
Region: Hambela village, Bedessa District, Guji Zone, Oromia
Varietals: Wush Wush
Recommended Roast Range: City to Full City (Light to medium)
Start at City (light) or just about 30 seconds into rolling first crack. From there, go a bit darker if desired, but find it best not to go any darker than Full City (Medium or after the end of first crack and before 2nd crack starts). Most folks will prefer a City + or at the tail end of first crack. Lighter roasts will have more zesty acidity while medium roasts will accentuate more body and rounded sweetness. Longer rest times are recommended (up to a week or longer) for optimal brewing performance.
