Demeka Becha

Located in the Bona Zuria district of the Sidama region, Becha Village is a flourishing coffee-growing community situated at an altitude between 2100-2200 meters. The area surrounding the town of Zuria was once considered unsuitable for coffee production due to low temperatures at high elevations, but the changing climate has transformed these lands into thriving coffee territories. The now viable landscape, combined with significant temperature swings between day and night, results in slow-maturing, nutrient-rich cherries.

The local Sidama people are the heart of the Becha Village coffee community. The Demeka Becha site, owned by Ayele Tulu and managed by his son, Tsegab Ayele, is the epicenter of this vibrant community. Genet Haile Endeshow, Ayele’s wife and Tsegab’s mother, is the backbone of the family and the operation, providing warmth and hospitality to everyone involved in their coffee-producing sites. With nearly 10,000 producers in the surrounding areas, the washing station is a bustling hub of activity where cherries are weighed, logged, and processed through a meticulous system to ensure the highest quality coffee.

The Demeka Becha coffee lot consists of native varieties all grown in the rich loamy clay soil of the region. After picking, the meticulous processing of the coffee begins as the cherries are floated and then transferred into the cement hopper to pass through a 4-disk Agard pulper. After pulping, the cherries are moved into fermentation tanks and cement washing channels. The washing station features 10 tanks designated for density grades 1 and 2, as well as 2 tanks specifically for low-density coffee. If this low-density coffee meets the required standard, it is included in the Community Lot program, otherwise, it is destined for the local market. Once fermentation and washing are complete, the parchment coffee is carefully carried by hand to the drying beds. Here, the locals evenly spread the clean parchment to the depth of a fingertip and continuously turn them until they are fully dried. Finally, the full dried parchment is moved to a secure storehouse, where they await transportation to Addis Ababa for the last stage of sorting.

Farm details:

Village: Demeka Becha

Region: Becha Village, Bona Zuria, Sidama

Country: Ethiopia

Altitude: 2100-2200m

Process: Washed

Varietal: Native varieties 74/158, 74/165, 74/112, 74/110, and 74/40

Flavor profile:

Aromatics: Complex florals, red apple, honey, dried berry, cooked peach

Taste: Tangerine, pear, honeydew melon, orange blossom, citra hops, cooked peach, caramel

Acidity: Medium/High

Sweetness: Medium/Clean

Body: Light/Silky