Ethiopia | Worka Sakaro Anaerobic Natural

Worka Sakaro Washing Station sits near the community of Worka Chelbesa in Ethiopia's Gedeo Zone. It is owned by Ato Mijane Worassa and his son Daniel, and more than 400 smallholder farmers bring their cherry to the station each harvest. We first brought in coffee from the town of Worka in 2013, when an early harvest came across our cupping table with a blueberry clarity we had not tasted before. We have brought in coffee from Worka nearly every season since.

The farmers grow heirloom varietals at 2,000 to 2,200 meters beneath a canopy of Birbira, Cordia africana, and enset trees. This shade system is part of the traditional Gedeo agroforestry that UNESCO recognized as a World Heritage site in 2023.

This year's Worka Sakaro is an anaerobic natural. After sorting and floating, the cherries are sealed in oxygen-free tanks for 3 to 7 days, then dried whole on raised beds for 18 to 21 days. Fermenting without oxygen changes which microbes break down the sugars in the fruit. The Worka Sakaro anaerobic natural comes through with deeper fruit, a winey complexity, and bright acidity.

Whole bean, roasted in Charlottesville.