This exciting coffee comes from the Shantawene washing station, located in the small town also called Shantawene, in the Bensa region of Sidama. Farming practices in Sidama remain pretty traditional, with producers typically farming very small plots of land (1-2 hectares) adjacent to their homes – they’re essentially farming in their backyard. It’s very much a family business, with spouses, children, and grandchildren providing all the labor. There’s one key area in which producers from Sidama break from tradition, and that’s their eagerness to experiment. It’s no coincidence that producers from Sidama frequently place at the top of the Ethiopian Cup of Excellence.  

This lot is made up of coffees from the neighboring town of Bombe. Producers deliver their coffees to the washing station via mules or motorcycles; upon delivery the coffees are sorted and checked for quality. Embracing the Sidama spirit of experimentation, this coffee underwent an experimental fermentation technique using Mosto (the liquid produced during fermentation). This coffee was fermented in barrels along with the mosto of the previous fermentation for 48hrs. Similar to a mother sauce or sourdough starter, the addition of mosto kickstarts the fermentation and results in a super loud coffee.