Ethiopia — Gatta 168 Hour Anaerobic

Ethiopia — Gatta 168 Hour Anaerobic

Provenance

The penultimate release in our 10-Year series, and a glimpse into the future of Ethiopian coffee. You can also add a limited-edition 10-Year commemorative poster in the options above.

This Gatta lot pairs the vibrant fruit character of Sidama with a more experimental approach to processing.A 168-hour cold fermentation opens up new possibilities for flavour, while retaining the qualities that make Ethiopian coffees so distinctive.

Explore our full 10-Year series.

Process

Ripe cherries are harvested, before being sealed in GrainPro bags and submerged in tanks of cold water for 168 hours. Once fermentation is complete, the cherries are transferred to raised African beds to dry, resulting in a clean and balanced cup bursting with vibrant fruit.

This process has evolved from an early experiment at Gatta, where the sealed bags were placed directly in the river, with cold water flowing over them throughout fermentation. The approach was refined for this lot, using water-filled tanks to maintain the low temperatures needed for the extended fermentation.

It’s an early step in Daye Bensa’s exploration of longer, controlled fermentations. And with a cherry colour sorter, stainless steel tanks and dark drying room now in place, there’s plenty of scope for further experimentation in future harvests. A peek at the possibilities ahead for post-harvest processing in Ethiopia.