de Specialitate Corretto, Etiopia Yirgacheffe Halo Berity, Washed, 100% Arabica, 86 Puncte SCA

Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Halo Berity Washed Specialty Coffee | Detailed Information and Description

🇪🇹 Origin: Africa, Ethiopia, Yirgacheffe region

👨‍🌾 Producer: Halo Berity washing station (~750 smallholder farmers)

🌱 Variety: Heirloom

⛰️ Altitude: 1950 m

💧 Processing: Washed

🔥 Roast profile: Medium (Omniroast)

☕ Tasting notes: Raspberry, strawberries, peaches, chocolate, cantaloupe, tropical fruit

🍒 Acidity: Citrusy, bright | Intensity: Medium

🫘 Body: Light

📏 Bean size: Screen 15

🏆 SCA score: 86 points

⚙️ Recommended for: Espresso and brew methods (V60, Chemex, pour-over)

⏳ Optimal degassing: 7–14 days from the roast date

📦 Ethiopian specialty coffee available in 200 g, 400 g, 500 g, and 1 kg bags

Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Coffee Beans: Where It All Began

Ethiopia is the country where coffee has grown for thousands of years and the only place on the planet where Arabica is indigenous, not imported. Thousands of wild coffee varieties that no one has cataloged can still be found in the forests of southwestern Ethiopia. Each Ethiopian region produces coffees with different profiles, but Yirgacheffe remains the best known—and for good reason.

Yirgacheffe is in southern Ethiopia, in the Gedeo Zone. The altitude is high (this lot comes from 1950 m), the soil is volcanic and fertile, and the coffee grows beneath a canopy of trees that forms a natural cover. The shade slows cherry ripening, moderate temperatures give the cherries time to accumulate sugars, and abundant rainfall keeps the soil moist year-round.

What sets Yirgacheffe apart from every other region is the combination of extreme altitude, genetic diversity (Heirloom varieties you won’t find anywhere else), and a washed-processing tradition that brings out the bean’s floral and fruity notes with exceptional clarity. When you drink Yirgacheffe-origin coffee, you’re drinking coffee history.

Heirloom Varieties: What They Mean and Why They Matter

In Ethiopia, the term Heirloom means something different than it does in any other country. In Colombia or Costa Rica, varieties are clearly identified: Bourbon, Caturra, Catuai. In Ethiopia, by contrast, small farms grow dozens of indigenous varieties that have never been formally classified. Some have local names—Wolisho, Kurume, Dega—but most remain unidentified.

That’s why the term “Heirloom” is both so vague and so specific. Vague, because it doesn’t tell you exactly which variety you’re drinking. Specific, because these varieties grow only in Ethiopia and have a flavor no cultivated variety can reproduce: intensely floral, stone fruit, complex acidity.

The beans in this lot are screen 15. That’s smaller than a Kenyan AA (screen 18) or a screen 17 from Central America, but bean size in Ethiopian Heirloom varieties isn’t an indicator of quality—the indigenous varieties naturally produce smaller, denser beans.

Halo Berity Washing Station: 750 Farmers, a Generations-Old Tradition

Halo Berity is a washing station in the Gedeb district, a few kilometers south of the town of Yirgacheffe. It was established in 2014 and processes coffee from approximately 750 smallholder farmers in the area. Each farmer grows coffee on very small plots—often less than half a hectare—alongside other food crops.

The farms around the station are located at elevations between 1900 m and 2200 m. It is one of Ethiopia’s highest coffee-growing areas, which means the harvest season is later than in other regions—usually between November and January. The cool temperatures at these elevations extend cherry maturation and produce high-density beans.

At Halo Berity station, Washed processing follows a rigorous protocol. Arabica coffee cherries are sorted upon arrival, depulped, fermented in water tanks, washed with fresh spring water (the station is located beside a river), and dried on African beds for 10–12 days. Wastewater is collected in a settling basin and not released into the environment.

Tasting Profile: Raspberry, Strawberries, Peaches, Chocolate, and Cantaloupe

When you open the bag of freshly roasted coffee, you immediately get a wave of fruit—not subtle notes you have to search for, but an aroma that fills the room. That’s the signature of Yirgacheffe.

Roasted by Corretto to a Medium / Omni Roast profile, Halo Berity coffee has a light body—it’s delicate, almost tea-like. But that doesn’t mean it’s “weak”. Its light body is the perfect vehicle for the bright, citrusy acidity that brings the cup to life. The acidity brings to mind ripe citrus and stone fruit.

There are many notes, unfolding in layers. Raspberry and strawberries come first—juicy red fruits with natural sweetness. Peaches appear in the background, velvety and ripe. Chocolate is in the background, a subtle base that grounds the fruit without overpowering it. Then cantaloupe and tropical fruit unfold in the finish, giving the cup a length and complexity few origins can match.

If you’ve already tried Burundi (sweet and mellow) or Brazil (chocolatey) and think you understand specialty coffee, now, with a coffee from Ethiopia, is when you realize just how broad the flavor palette is and start paying attention to every sip.

How to Brew Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Halo Berity at Home

The light body and bright acidity make this lot an excellent choice for brew methods—especially V60 and Chemex, where clarity is at its peak. It also makes a great espresso if you like shots with lively acidity, complex aromas, and fruity notes.

Espresso Recipe

Dose: 18 g coffee (fine grind)

Yield: 36–40 g in the cup

Extraction time: 25–30 seconds

The shot is surprisingly fruity—raspberry and strawberries take center stage, and the citrusy acidity brings a brightness you don’t find in coffees from Central America or Brazil. The crema is thin but aromatic. A flat white with this lot is a special experience: the red fruit combines with milk in a way that brings to mind yogurt with berries.

☕ Corretto’s tip: If the acidity seems too intense in espresso, lower the water temperature to 90–91°C. A lower temperature reduces the extraction of citric acids without sacrificing the fruit notes.

Brew Recipe (V60 / Chemex / Pour-Over)

Dose: 15 g coffee for 250 ml water

Grind: Medium (like coarse salt)

Water temperature: 92–95°C

Total time: 3:00–3:30 minutes

With a V60, each tasting note is distinct and identifiable—raspberry, peach, cantaloupe, tropical fruit. The bright acidity gives the cup a distinctive freshness, while chocolate appears only in the finish, a warm background note that ties everything together.

☕ Corretto’s tip: Let the beans degas for at least 7–10 days from the roast date (shown on the bag) before grinding them. At 86 SCA points, every day of degassing matters.

Choose the Right Grind

Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Halo Berity coffee is available from our coffee shop as whole beans or ground to order, depending on your preference. If you’re not sure which grind size is right for you, we’ve prepared a complete guide to the four grind types—Espresso, Pour-Over, Turkish, and French Press—with settings, ratios, and practical tips for each. You’ll find it in the “Grind Types” tab on this page.