What Is The Agreement?

The goal of the Ethiopian Trademark agreement is to form a new partnership between Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee and the countless coffee roasters around the planet that purchase, roast and sell Ethiopian fine coffees. Sidamo, Yirgacheffe and Harar/Harrar are very well known gourmet coffees in the industry. In the past, Ethiopian coffee producers and exporters have had few opportunities to work directly with brokers/importers and roasters.

Who Is Responsible For The Agreement

The Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office (EIPO) is responsible for this initiative along with the Ethiopian Fine Coffee Stakeholder Committee. The E.F.C.S.C. is made up of coffee producer unions, private coffee exporters and other organizations with direct responsibility for the development of the coffee industry in Ethiopia. Many coffee roasters that share this passion for Ethiopian coffees are joining the growing family of licensed distributors.

In February, 2007, the first historic meeting between Ethiopian Stakeholders and licensed distributors in more than sixty companies from across Africa, the United States, Europe and Asia took place. Forty seven Ethiopian fine coffee exporters as well as three coffee producers unions have signed the trademark agreement and joined the growing network of licensed distributors.

This past May, Ethiopia was chosen to be the featured country representing coffee at the Specialty Coffee Association of America’s annual coffee conference. The Stakeholder Committee and the Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office were on hand to answer the questions of companies wishing to join the growing network licensed distributors of Fine Ethiopian Coffees.

I’ve had the pleasure of sampling Ethiopian  Fine Coffees for a number of years now.  They are truly unique coffees, everything from the brightest, crispest and cleanest coffees to some of the most robust and complex sundried coffees on the planet.

Have a look at some of my reviews of various Ethiopian Fine Coffees:

• Harar Review
• Sidamo Review
• Yirgacheffe Review

Cupping Ethiopian coffees is probably one thing that I can easily say I look forward to. Especially each summer when the new crops begin to arrive in North America, where I spend each day roasting. After a couple of bad years for Harrar crops, I was worried that when this coffee arrived, I might be disappointed again. Luckily, coffee producers in this region of Ethiopia have managed to put out a great crop this year.

These beans are dry, or naturally processed. This means that the cherries are allowed to dry on the beans before they are milled and dried further. The result is a very fruit, robust and complex coffee. Some coffee afficionados aren’t all too interested in dry process coffees, claiming them to be the result of rotten fruit, or harbouring fermented flavours. Thats all fine and dandy of course…..but I love dry process coffees, and its always a pleasure to sample them!

Ethiopian Harrar (Harar) Coffee Review

Roasted By Dave Barrett – Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Dave has been roasting coffee for over 5 years, and handles green bean purchases as well as overseeing Roast Master duties at Planet Bean Coffee Roastery.

• Roast: Cinnamon
• Origin: E. Harrar – OROMIA
• Grade: 4
• Crop: Current (2008)

Aroma: Raspberry, caramel, toasty and slightly smokey

Wet Fragrance (crust): Somewhat sour as it steeps, malty with a hint of fruit.  In breaking the crust, mild notes of nut and fruit come out.

Acidity: Winey with the majority of sensation occuring on the sides of the tongue

Body: medium

Flavour: Very very sweet coffee, notes of berry, malt and wonderful earthy tones.

Aftertaste: Somewhat short, but very pleasant!

After a few years of poor Harrar crops, the producers have finally nailed a great crop for the 2008/2009 season!

I rate this coffee 86/100 on my cupping sheet.