Why We Love This Coffee
The heritage of Arabica coffee cultivated on farms around the world, traces back its origins to a small number of trees native to the highlands of Ethiopia. This East African country is not only the birthplace of Arabica but also home to a vast array of indigenous, or landrace, varieties that thrive in its diverse landscapes. As a result, Arabica trees grown outside Ethiopia typically show far less genetic diversity than their Ethiopian counterparts. This genetic richness is a key reason Ethiopian coffees are so highly prized—renowned globally for their exceptional quality, depth of flavor, and remarkable complexity.
Michelle Fleming, Equator’s Head Roaster, developed the roast profile for this coffee, saying, “When we cupped the arrival sample of this coffee, it presented a dense array of citrus notes, complemented by hints of spice, floral tones, and light sugary sweetness. Drawing on previous experience with washed Ethiopian coffees, I extended the total roast time to soften the acidity, shifting the citrus character toward sweet dessert-like notes—reminiscent of lime sherbet.
She continued: “Lengthening the post–first crack development time helped enhance the coffee's juiciness, resulting in a sweet, full-bodied shot of espresso. By keeping the final roast temperature relatively low, I was able to preserve delicate spicy and floral aromatics—like cardamom and tea rose—even with the extended development.”
While there are many variables that contribute to dialing in espresso, here are the parameters that have been yielding the best results in our lab:
1:2.5 coffee to water ratio in 27 seconds
Sustainably Sourced
