Chire Natural (Ethiopia)

Artwork Credit: Sam Landsberg

We recommend this coffee served as an opulent espresso beverage, drip coffee or single cup pour-over for your afternoon pickup.

Chire is a sub-region in the Sidamo coffee growing region of Southern Ethiopia, and the location of the main washing station that produces this coffee. In it’s most simple form, the coffee cherries here are dried whole on raised beds for 15-21 days with frequent turning for even drying. This meticulous undertaking is so important to the natural process to ensure a balanced cup that is not overfermented and maintains the unique terrior these coffees offer (natural sweetness and bright berry flavors).

Chire farmers hold very small parcels of land, ranging from 0.1 - 2 hectares. They often transport their harvest on foot (via mule) to the washing stations for processing due to the windy nature of the dirt roads in this mountainous region. Coffee is the main source of income in these parts, and farmers intersperse their crop with false banana trees for shade. 

These days, though, there is a battle between the traditional production of coffee in these natural forest areas and the modern growth of the eucalytpus and khat (common stimulant grown and used in Africa). The planting of the latter plants over coffee has offered more income recently, but has a harsher effect on the local forests and the environment in general due to their high demand for water. Since coffee grows naturally in these forests of Ethiopia (the only place in the world where this occurs, btw), coffee production is a much better long-term solution for the land and ecosystem here.