Green Coffee Outlook October 2023: New Harvest Ethiopian Coffees

Stay up to date on coffee we have coming down the pipeline and our latest green coffee outlook and arrivals schedule.

With the last of our Ethiopian coffees now on the West Coast, it’s prime time to shop our Ethiopian offer list. With this in mind, we thought we’d give you an overview on where our coffees are coming from this year, and what to expect. If you’d like to know what Ethiopia’s to expect over the next two months, jump to our list of Upcoming Coffees.

EthiopiaEthiopia, formerly known as Abyssinia, or a coffee cultivar: Ethiopia, or more specifically the Empire under Haile Selassie,  was known as Abyssinia. The name is Latin, derived from... is one of our largest sources in terms of volume, and our contracted totals reach as many as 12 shipping containers. Compared to the ‘big guys’, that’s not all that much. But it’s a lot for us! Putting that into perspective, it makes up roughly 25% of our overall volume each year, and there’s a reason we’re committed to those numbers.

Ethiopian coffees hold some of out the most complexThe co-presence of many aroma and flavor attributes, with multiple layers. A general impression of a coffee, similar to judgments such as "balanced" or "structured" flavor attributes on our list, hands down. Whether natural or dry processDry process coffee is a method for taking the fruit from the tree to an exportable green bean. The whole intact coffee cherry is dried in the sun..., the caliber of green coffeeGreen coffee refers to the processed seed of the coffee tree fruit. Coffee is a flowering shrub that produces fruit. The seeds of the fruit are processed, roasted,...<coffee gradingThe evaluation and scoring of physical coffee defects in green coffee.: Coffee grading is the technical skill of evaluating and scoring of physical coffee defects in green coffee.... and flavor profiles is paralleled by very few other countries. As Tom said in our Ethiopia origin primer, “the range of taste attributes and potential for amazing cup quality demands our primary focus”.

Some of our longest buying relationships are with coffee cooperatives in Western Ethiopia, near Jimma, in the regional state of Oromia. The umbrella cooperative union we buy from is “Kata Muduga”, whose role among other things is to ensure processingThe removal of the cherry and parchment from the coffee seed.: Coffee is either wet-processed (also called washed or wet-milled) or dry-processed (also called wild, natural or natural... sites are well-managed, organize farmer outreach, and offer a verified marketing channel for the individual coop coffee mills they coordinate. Duromina, Nano Challa, Gure Dako, Kennisa, Yukiro, Birbirsa, Geta Bore, Genji Challa … all these names you see on our site from Gera and Agaro are Kata Muduga members.

You may hear “cooperative” and imagine a harmonious democratic system of functionality. It’s not always the case but Kata Muduga comes very close. The coffee coops under the Kata Muduga banner have been around a while now, and have benefited from outside training. They came about after a regional project was started in the area to improve quality and market access, spurred by the work of an NGO, Technoserve.

A large portion of our coffee comes from the private sector too. The individuals and groups who own these mills tend to be from the region, which helps with barriers of trust, and they are often farmers themselves.

At one time, these types of private operations were unable to attain export licenses from the government board of agriculture, who reserved those rights to directly represent and market coffee to cooperative unions. Coffee from the privately held mills had to be sold through a government exchange system by law (“ECX”), where they could be blended by grade, and specific provenance removed. A change in that law occurred in 2019 offering a new frontier for private mills and buyers alike, and meant more transparencyTransparency is a flavor characterization synonymous with clarity. It is also a business ethics term, implying that as much information as possible about a product is made available..., and an ability to work together in a more direct way.

Now is prime time for choosing from a broad swath of Ethiopia coffees on the Sweet Maria’s and Coffee Shrub (big bags / wholesale) Sites

Upcoming Coffees October & November

Below is a list of upcoming green coffees currently on the schedule to be added to our website for October and November. This list is still being updated:

October Outlook:

Coffees	Bags
ColombiaColombian coffee is highly marketed and widely available in the US. They have been largely successful at equating the name Colombian Coffee with "Good" Coffee. This is half-true.... Inzá Veredas Vecinas	40
Colombia Tolima China Alta	8
Ethiopia Dry Process Korate	120
Ethiopia OrganicGrown without the use of artificial fertilizers, herbicides, etc.: Organic coffee has been grown according to organic farming techniques, typically without the use of artificial fertilizers. Some farms... Geta Bore	40
GuatemalaGuatemalan coffee is considered a top quality coffee producer in Central America. Due to our proximity to Guatemala, some of the nicest coffees from this origin come to... Aurelio del Cerro	22
Guatemala Xinabajul La Palmira	10
JavaThere are several types of Abyssinia variety coffee, but they are not from Ethiopia but rather Indonesia. Abyssinia 3 = AB3.  PJS Cramer, a Dutch plant researcher, introduced this variety... Sunda Gunung Tilu	29
KenyaKenya is the East African powerhouse of the coffee world. Both in the cup, and the way they run their trade, everything is topnotch.: Kenya is the East... Nyeri Maganjo AA	29
MexicoMexican coffee originates from South-central to Southern regions of the country. For that reason, coffees from Coatepec and Veracruz are much different from Oaxacan Plumas, which are in... Organic Lagunilla Coop	25
NicaraguaNicaraguan coffees from the Segovia, Jinotega, Ocotal and Matagalpa regions are nice balanced cups. They often possess interesting cup character along with body and balance, outperforming many other... FincaSpanish 101: Finca is the Spanish word for farm. Sometimes the term Hacienda is used to imply an Estate, which would mean the farm has its own wet-mill.... Buenos Aires	40
PanamaPanama coffee ranges from medium quality lower altitude farms to those at 1600 - 1800 meters centered in the area of Boquete in the Chirqui district near the... Paso Ancho Carmen EstateA "coffee estate" is used to imply a farm that has its own processing facility, a wet-mill. In Spanish this is called an Hacienda. A Finca (farm) does...	20

November Outlook:

Coffees	Bags
BurundiBurundi coffee bears resemblance to neighboring Rwanda, in both cup character, but also the culture surrounding coffee. Burundi is a small landlocked country at the crossroads of East... Dry Process Kayanza Munkaze	15
Colombia Cauca Heirloom Chiroso"Chiroso" is the name given to a unique variety of coffee rediscovered in Colombia in the early 2000's, and is still mostly limited to the country. Originally thought...	4
Colombia Honey ProcessThe honey process has nothing to do with honey other than the fact that they're both sticky! It's a term that became popularized in Costa Rica as another... El Páramo	17
Colombia Huila SidraSidra is a recently introduced coffee variety, with an unclear origin story. It might have been part of a coffee plant breeding program, developed in the nurseries of... CultivarCultivar is a term used interchangeably with Varietal in the coffee trade to indicate plant material, although there are distinctions.: The naming of a cultivar should conform to...	10
Colombia Tolima Eduard Sandoval Chiroso	10
El SalvadorEl Salvador coffee had an undeservingly poor reputation for years, marred mostly by the inability to deliver coffee of high quality in an unstable political climate. Unfortunately, agriculture... HoneyIn coffee, honey-like sweetness is often found, but we use terms such as refined honey (highly filtered and processed) as opposed to raw honey rustic honey sweetness. This... Process Miravalles	20
El Salvador Volcán San Miguel MaragogypeMaragogype is a mutation of Typica coffee and was discovered in Brazil. The Maragogype is a large plant with big leaves, low production and very large fruits (and...	30
Ethiopia Dry Process Kebele Keramo	20
Guatemala Acatenango GeshaGesha is a long-bean Ethiopia selection with unique cup character. Gesha is the name of the town in Western Ethiopia where the original samples were collected. Spelling it... Lot 2	54
Guatemala Antigua Pulcal Inteligente	71
Guatemala Patzun Finca Las Camelias	53
Kenya Kirinyaga Wangerwe Estate AA	11
Kenya Nyeri Igutha AB	78
Nicaragua Especial Java	15
PeruPeruvian coffees have Central American brightness but in a South American coffee flavor package overall. The good organic lots do have more of a "rustic" coffee character.: Organic... Eli Chilcon FloresFlores is an Indonesian island, and as a coffee bears more resemblance to the coffees of Timor-Leste, New Guinea and Java than to the wet-hulled coffees of Sumatra...	45
RwandaA Bourbon cultivar variant from Rwanda and Burundi. Bourbon coffees are named for the island in the India Ocean where French colonists grew it. Some history from the... Dry Process Kanyege	40
Rwanda Nyamasheke Gatare	48
Sweet Maria’s Polar Expresso Holiday Blend

Incoming coffees currently on the water: November onward

Please keep in mind that the coffees on the Upcoming Coffee Outlook schedule with a location status of “In Transit” are still a bit of a wild card, and the month we have them listed under is based on the current shipping ETA, and subject to interruptions out of our control. Thanks for your patience!

African Incoming Coffees

Coffees	Bags
Burundi Kayanza Gahahe	40
Burundi Kayanza Gakenke	40
Burundi Kayanza Kibingo Station	40
Burundi Kayanza Nemba	40
Buruni Honey Process Masha	40
Burundi Dry Process Kibingo	60
Burundi Dry Process Gahahe	60
Rwanda Rulindo Tumba	80
Rwanda Kivu Kageyo	40
Rwanda Nyamasheke Gitwe	54
Rwanda Karongi Gitesi	40
Rwanda Nyamasheke Mutovu	45
Rwanda Kivu Kageyo PeaberryA peaberry is a green coffee "bean" that has a rounded form: Coffee is the dried seed from the fruit of a flowering tree - each fruit having...	30
Rwanda Dry Process Kageyo	8
Rwanda Honey Process Gitwe	20
Rwanda Rubavu Rwinyoni	40
Rwanda Ngororero	40
Rwanda Nyamashek Nyaco	40
Rwanda Nyamashek Kanyege	50
Rwanda Dry Process Nyamyumba	26
Rwanda Honey Process Kibirizi	50
Rwanda Dry Process Mashesha	26
Rwanda Dry Process Nyamiyaga	16
Rwanda Dry Process Nyakabingo	32
Rwanda Gitwe PeaberryThe Spanish-language term for Peaberry is the same for "snail". See Peaberry for more information on the single bean fruit of the coffee tree. A peaberry is the...	30
Rwanda Kivu Kageyo Lot 2	25
Rwanda Dry Process Gitwe	21
Rwanda Rusizi Mushaka	50

Indonesia & SE Asia Incoming Coffees

Coffee	Bags
Flores Albertus & Reti	20
Flores Bajawa Anaerobic Honey	25
Flores Wet Hulled Bajawa Wawo Wae	47
Java Sunda Anaerobic Honey	15
Java Sunda Cirambai	40
Java Sunda Iyan	55
Java Sunda Ribang GayoGayo is ethnic group from the area of Aceh Sumatra around Lake Takengon. They use the name Gayo Coffee to market their production. The Acehnese are a different...	20
Java Sunda Wet Hulled #1	50
Java Sunda Wet Hulled #2	30
Java Sunda Wet Hulled Dani	30
Papua New GuineaPapua New Guinea (PNG) occupies the eastern half of the island it shares with the Indonesian province of Irian Jaya, part of Indonesia. The two primary areas for... Dry Process Baroida	30
Papua New Guinea Honey Process Baroida	30
Papua New Guinea Morita	30
Papua New Guinea Tairora	30
SulawesiSulawesi coffees are low-acid with great body and that deep, brooding cup profile akin to Sumatra. The coffee is sometimes known as Celebes, which was the Dutch colonial... Dry Process Topidi	8
Sulawesi Kahayya Village	15
SumatraIndonesians are available as a unique wet-hulled or dry-hulled (washed) coffees. Giling Basah is the name for the wet-hulling process in Bahasa language, and will have more body... AcehThe northernmost district in SumatraL Aceh District is north of North Sumatra and produces some very classic Sumatra coffees. The center of coffee in Aceh is Lake Tawar... Bebesen Aulia	60
Sumatra Anaerobic Dry Process Pendekar	20
Sumatra Anaerobic Kerinci Pendekar	20
Sumatra Anaerobic Wet Hulled Aulia	20
Sumatra Honey Process Kerinci Pendekar	20
Sumatra Kerinci Pendekar Coop	50
Sumatra Lintong Sigumpar Village	30
TimorTimor-Leste (East Timor) is a tiny island between Australia and Sulawesi, annexed by Indonesia and liberated in a referendum several years ago. Small scale coffee farming was jump-started... Leste Dry Process Daurfusu	20
Timor Leste Hatletegeo	30
Timor Leste Honey Process Daurfusu	20
Timor Leste Manulo	25
Timor Leste Sabelu	25

South America Incoming Coffees

Coffees	Bags
BrazilBrazil is a coffee giant . As Frank Sinatra sang, "they grow an awful lot of coffee in Brazil".: Brazil is a coffee giant . As Frank Sinatra... Dry Process Carlos & Dani	64
Brazil Dry Process Martas	30
Brazil Dry Process Lote Marcio	28
Brazil Dry Process Pulp NaturalPulp natural is a hybrid method of processing coffee to transform it from the tree fruit to a green bean, ready for export. Specifically, it involves the removal... Laura Beto	78
Brazil Pulp Natural Wania Maria	60
Brazil Yellow Honey Carlos Henrque	60
Brazil Dry Process Sertao Yellow BourbonYellow Bourbon is a subtype that has fruit which ripens to a yellow color, found mainly in Brazil where it was first grown. Bourbon coffees are named for...	60
Brazil Dry Process Santa Ines	70
Brazil Pulp Natural Santa Ines	55
Brazil Dry Process Pedra Branca	60
Brazil Dry Process FazendaFazenda is the Portuguese word for farm, hence it is the term used in Brazil. Fazenda is not a coffee-specific term. Sertao	70
Brazil Jose da Conceicao	52
Brazil Dry Process	19
Brazil Matheus de Oleivera Pereira	21
Brazil Amarildo Jose Borges	39
Brazil Flávio Caixeta Nunes	49
Brazil Marcio Martins Ferreira	48
Brazil Luis Otavio Turati	32
Peru Associación de Mujeres Lot `	40
Peru Luz Mely Sanchez	50
Peru Olivera Diaz Marcial	40
Peru San Jose El Diamante	40
Peru Associación de Mujeres Lot 2	30
Peru San Antonio	25
Peru Edilberto	25
Peru Dry Process Alto Pirias	29
Peru Perlamayo	30
Peru San Ignacio	20
Peru Mika	31

Central American Incoming Coffees

Coffee	Bags
HondurasHonduran coffee was absent from the top ranks of the Specialty market, but that has changed. It has all the environmental factors on its side: soil, altitude, climate.... Edwin Sabillon ParainemaParainema is a hybrid with some disease resistance developed in Honduras by IHCAFE (Instituto Hondureño del Café). It is related to Sarchimor, another disease-resisitant type. Both have arabica...	11
Honduras Alexis Piñeda PacasA mutation of Bourbon cultivar that appeared in El Salvador in 1949: Pacas is a natural mutation of Bourbon cultivar that appeared in El Salvador in 1949. It...	11
Honduras Dry Process Sabillon Parainema	12
Honduras Maria Isabel Parainema	11
Honduras Carlos Sagastume Pacas	10
Honduras Honey Process Carlos Sagastume	14
Honduras Esteban Madrid Parainema	11
Honduras Teodosa Moreno Parainema	5
Honduras Honey Process Cabañas	26
Honduras San Vicente Comunidad Cabañas	30