Table of contents
Ethiopia
$ 7-15
| Varieties | Arabica (Mocha, Shortberry, Longberry), Harrar, Yirgacheffe, Limu, Sidamo, Genika |
| How to Serve | Small espresso cups with no milk and extra sugar (to taste) |
| Flavor | Higher in acidity, fruity, and herbal aftertaste, still retains classic bitterness |
| Recommended Machine | Burr Grinder, Jebena (Stovetop), French/AeroPress |
| Good As | Espresso, Americano |
| Price Range | $7 – $15 for a 12 oz pack |
| Caffeine Level | 1.13% on average |
Ethiopia’s coffee history is long and rich with cultural significance.Ethiopian coffee was the first-ever coffee discovered by humanity. Yes, this country is the birthplace of our beloved beverage. Its particular flavor, preparation process, and indelible place in local culture have made it famous all over the world. Plus, their long list of single-origin coffee beans is not too small. Here you’ll find:
| Arabica | Yirgacheffe | Harrar | Limu | Sidamo |
When compared to pretty much everything else you’ve had before, the slightly more acidic taste combined with a fruity and herbal aftertaste definitely sets it apart. And it doesn’t taste like this only when you have it prepared by a lovely old lady in a rural Ethiopian village either. With some Ethiopian coffee beans from Amazon, you may get the same taste in your own kitchen.
The coffee itself isn’t that difficult to prepare. All you need is a little elbow grease to grind it by hand (or a burr grinder if you’re lazy like me), some hot water in any clay pottery (traditionally in a Jebena), and a few minutes to wait. I, too, prefer to filter it, but drinking it as is can be quite good too.
Yes, buying Ethiopian coffee from an Ethiopian trader is preferable, but the overhead, as well as figuring out logistics, payments, and so on, is not worth it. On the other side, Amazon offers things that are just as nice, just as flavorful, and much easier to obtain if you have Amazon Prime. Ethiopia coffee production can take quite some time. To be precise, you can get your coffee from Amazon in less than 24 hours, whereas it could take weeks to come directly from Ethiopia.
So, without further ado, here are the top five Amazon goods we discovered and tested:
We pay attention to the following:
For more detailed information on how exactly we rate the coffee products we suggest in our guides, click here.
So what is the best Ethiopian coffee type? Sure, you may read what Amazon has to say about these items, but why not hang around and see why we liked them so much? A brief overview of each of the products mentioned above can be found below.
|
Price: $19.99 (subject to change) |
|
Size: 16 oz |
|
Type: Yirgacheffe |
|
Roast: Medium/Light |
|
Producer: Volcanica |
|
Beans: Whole |
The coffee that I made with Volcanica Yirgacheffe was impeccable. Before I talk about the experience I had with this coffee, I want to give you information about the company who produces it – Volcanica. As the name suggests this is a coffee company that specializes in providing their products worldwide from countries with Volcanic regions such as Ethiopia, Costa Rica, and many more.
Volcanica products are always fresh, have a refined flavor and the company guarantees 100% customer satisfaction. I can say the same about the pricing on Amazon. It’s actually cheaper to buy it on Amazon in bulk than from Volcanica’s website as they have a policy that you need to buy at least $60 worth of coffee. A single package of Volcanica Yirgacheffe costs about $25 on the manufacturer’s site and up to $20 if you buy it through Amazon. It’s not only cheaper but faster as well, especially if you use Amazon Prime.
Consumers often find that mass-produced coffee is over-roasted, dulling the single-origin flavor qualities, but this is a wonderful city to full-city roast that works well, allowing the beans to show rather than the roast. Volcanica Yirgacheffe has a flavor that is completely different from what you would expect. It has a distinctive taste. Other Ethiopian Coffee varieties stick out to me as well, but this is by far the most unique flavor.
Yirgacheffe and other high-quality mixes of the Volcanica brand have a fruity, scotch-like flavor. It’s akin to contrasting strawberries and blueberries. I could detect more of the regular coffee flavors as I drank more of it. The grinds were orange in color, and the flavor was strong. Needless to say, it was an amazing experience drinking Volcanica Yirgacheffe.
|
Price: $24.95 (subject to change) |
|
Size: 32 oz |
|
Type: Yirgacheffe |
|
Roast: Dark |
|
Producer: Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC |
|
Beans: Whole |
A single package of Yirgacheffe manufactured by COFFEE LLC weighs 2 pounds. The company was founded in the year 2009 and over the course of a decade has gained a lot of experience and cult following. This brand is no stranger to promotional initiatives. In fact, you can save 25% of your purchase on your first auto-delivery order. There are also many coupons you can use when purchasing these products on Amazon. In fact, it’s cheaper and faster, especially if you are using Amazon prime like myself. You get 32 ounces worth of coffee on Amazon while the packaging on the site is smaller and is 20 ounces.
With in-house roasting and prices to match, the quality is on par with a specialty major city coffee shop. You can also choose 3 different types of Ethiopian coffee from Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC, but I myself got the “Dark” version. There’s also Kochere (a region in Ethiopia) and Sidamo Guji (a region and type of bean). Can’t really vouch for the latter two, but if they’re as good as the “Dark” I got, then absolutely yes you can go for them.
|
Price: $27.99 (subject to change) |
|
Size: 16 oz |
|
Type: Harar |
|
Roast: Medium |
|
Producer: AfriKin |
|
Beans: Whole |
The manufacturer of this coffee package is a minority-run nonprofit organization that aims to mend bridges between different ethnic groups. AfriKin develops a non-hierarchical environment of affinity for intellectual dialogue. When you buy coffee from their website even though it’s more expensive, it will go to the fund. We would recommend buying it on Amazon as it is drastically cheaper there and as advertised 5% of your purchase will go to Afrikaans causes nonetheless.
In this day and age, it is important to be a conscious consumer, this is why we think it is crucial to know the brands behind each discussed coffee.
Quality Harar coffee has a robust and deep flavor profile. A smoldering scent with blackberry, apricots, cinnamon, cardamom, and compote overtones. Truly one of the best Ethiopian coffee I’ve ever had the pleasure of drinking. Harar coffee is an unusual, natural Arabica coffee bean found in southern Ethiopian farms at elevations ranging from 4,500 to 6,300 feet. The Harar coffee beans are dried to bring out their deep red wine and dark chocolate characteristics. Ethiopian Harrar coffee is highly recommended as a post-dinner coffee by many coffee connoisseurs.
|
Price: $26.99 (subject to change) |
|
Size: 24 oz |
|
Type: Limu |
|
Roast: Light |
|
Producer: BLK & Bold |
|
Beans: Ground |
This is, without a doubt, one of the best Ethiopian coffee I’ve ever tried. I have a specialty coffee subscription with another firm, and this one is on par with the others I’ve tried. I want to also express admiration and gratitude for the firm. First and foremost, it is a black-owned company, which I applaud and support wholeheartedly.
This coffee is a mild roast and is jam-packed with flavor, with chocolate, blueberry, and honey overtones to name a few, a multiplicity of taste is a guarantee. You will discover new sensations with each cup of this coffee. This roast makes for a stimulating cup with a fruity aftertaste if you prefer your coffee black this is definitely the coffee brand for you.
As for the pricing of the coffee, it’s relatively the same on the BLK & Bold website as it is on the Amazon webpage. However BLK & Bold doesn’t have any promotions even on occasions. The same can’t be said about Amazon as sometimes the price is reduced. In May 2021 it cost $19 to buy this coffee. For now, you can use coupons from Honey for example to get a 10% discount.
|
Price: $16.99 (subject to change) |
|
Size: 16 oz |
|
Type: Sidamo |
|
Roast: Medium |
|
Producer: Volcanica |
|
Beans: Ground |
You can never go wrong with coffee produced by Volcanica. This is why we complete our top five Ethiopian Coffee list with Volcanica Sidamo. The brand has great media visibility and critical acclaim among consumers. The price for this package of coffee is $16.99, but it has been lower, last seen at $10 during a limited sale offer in May 2021.
So far, it’s been a good coffee; I wouldn’t call it fantastic, but I’ve loved it. It’s definitely one of the best Ethiopian coffees out there. It smells and feels like citrus, and it has a pleasant citrus flavor. Specifically, I tasted a bit of lemon-orange. I would say that this coffee is ideal for making a cold brew as it’s very nutty, cinnamony a tinge of a rock fruit. Those tastes continued over into the break, as did a strong cinnamon scent.
I have four fundamentals of coffee that we want to make sure that everyone uses when they’re brewing coffee at home. If you do want to have fresh coffee that’s been opened within a week you never want to freeze coffee because that will add moisture to it as well. I will talk about the origins of Ethiopian coffee and also discuss how to prepare it properly.
Firstly we want to discuss the traditional method because it is one of the few ways that still have a procedure. In our fast-paced life, we are glad to put a capsule in a machine, push a button, and get a cup of coffee in a matter of seconds. But where is the substance of it, where is the pleasure? Coffee is more than just caffeine; it’s also about the fragrances, flavors, and enjoyment, as you’ll see in the Coffee Ceremony.
Seeing a coffee ceremony, especially in the highlands, is a once-in-a-lifetime event. Ethiopian coffee is said to taste the best and be the easiest to make using the traditional method. All you’ll need are the following items:
It’s time to start brewing once you’ve gathered all of these ingredients. It’s actually quite simple and can be broken down into several phases.
This is the one I use. It’s not the traditional way, but what can I do, I don’t have a Jebena. Specifically, I’m going to speak about how to create filtered pour-over coffee. This is a more contemporary approach. I’ll be describing the industry standard.
You will need the following:
Now how to start brewing and the steps you need to follow:
Find high-quality Pour-overs here!
I know, I know, the Drip isn’t everybody’s favorite method of making coffee, but hear me out here. Finely filtered Ethiopian beans with extra smoothness? Oh yeah! That’s the way to go.
If you’re having a group of coffee connoisseurs over, you’ll want to use a different approach, but if you’re having six or seven people over and you’re playing cards or just finished dinner, they’ll want nice coffee and you don’t want to serve them anything that tastes strange.
This is a good way to create a huge quantity of coffee, which is one of the benefits of drip coffee makers, but with a higher quality cup of the best Ethiopian coffee.
You will need the following for this:
And here are the steps you need to follow. It’s not rocket science, the process is simple:
Many of the gases and compounds that make up the aromas and flavors of coffee are trapped in that beam, and experts estimate that about half of the aromatics are lost within 15 minutes of grinding it. So make sure that once you’ve ground your coffee, it immediately gets brewed.
Check out our list of Drip coffee makers here!
Cold brew coffee is somewhat strong and eloquent. Why “cold brew”? Why? Iced coffee vs. cold brew coffee Cold brew extracts the coffee slowly over a long period of time, limiting the amount of acidity and bitterness already present. Coffee’s heat extracts a little bit of bitterness and a lot more acidity. Cold-brew, on the other hand, provides a smoother overall flavor with less acidity and bitterness.
So, since Ethiopian coffee beans have lots of acidity, cold brewing them is better than making them into iced coffee. I advise you use a Precision Brewer for this, as it’s the handiest machine.
In order to make Ethiopian coffee like this you will need:
Once you’ve assembled all of your ingredients, it’s time to start brewing.
See? Nothing too complicated about this either. You don’t necessarily need a precision brewer for this, but I’d recommend it just to get everything right.
Check Cold Brew Machines Here!
The traditional method of making Ethiopian coffee is not the only way. Some of the modern coffee types are suitable as well. Espresso, Americano, and Mocha are just a few to mention. Let’s take a look at how you can make them like this and what taste to expect!
Espresso is the perfect coffee type for Ethiopian coffee beans. A lot of factors support this. Because espresso enhances the coffee’s flavors and qualities, a coffee roasted with the goal of being brewed by french press or drip may be too robust and imbalanced to be used as an Espresso.
To make a pleasant shot of Espresso, a roaster will likely try to develop the bean differently, perhaps by developing the sugars further and toning down the brighter tones and acidity. Some coffees, no matter how good they are, may not stand up to espresso on their own. They might, however, work nicely in a blend, which brings me to my next argument.
Roasters usually combine two or three beans (pot-roast, sometimes pre-roast) to create a pleasant, intriguing, and balanced Espresso. They might use 1/3 Colombian for the body, 1/3 Ethiopian coffee for fruitiness, and 1/3 Costa Rican for chocolate and sweetness, for example.
Check out our Espresso brewing guide
Ethiopian coffee beans have high acidity and are rich in flavor. This could be hard to handle for some people in the form of Espresso. That is why making it into Americano is a great option. The difference would be that it would be more diluted with water than your regular Espresso shot.
If you make an Americano with Ethiopian coffee beans, you can savor its aroma and taste according to your tolerance to caffeine.
The best Ethiopian coffee beans can be used to make even better Mocha. It’s a match made in heaven. It is perfect for coffee enthusiasts that have a more refined taste palette. Ethiopian beans’ greater acidity and bitterness, combined with the addition of cocoa or chocolate, are the ideal mix for people who prefer to challenge their taste sensibilities. When I tried it, I also added some vanilla and went for a ride. The cocoa flavor comes first, followed by the vanilla flavor, and finally, the bitterness of the beans, which leaves you with a chocolatey aftertaste thanks to the additional cocoa flavor.
you will absolutely love making a mocha using the traditional Ethiopian coffee beans, guaranteed!
Learn how to make Mocha at Home!
Although you can make any type of coffee you want with Ethiopian beans, it doesn’t mean you should. My suggestion would be to avoid any milk-based or milk-containing coffee types when brewing with Ethiopian coffee beans. Here are a few examples I’d recommend you avoid with these beans:
A great fruit of mind in this regard would be to try more bitter flavors, as the Ethiopian beans that are used for coffee are more suitable for rich and vibrant flavors. They are naturally strong and work better with acidity and small portions.
Ethiopia is considered to be the birthplace of coffee and they have a special ceremony for it, which by the way is the oldest coffee-related ritual across many cultures of the world. Coffee is grown in Kaffa, which is where the name café comes from. It was culturally assimilated all throughout the world over time. Coffee is supposed to have been discovered in Ethiopia by a shepherd named Khaldi in an area called Khafa in the southwest of the country. Ethiopia was the first country in the world to consume nearly half of its coffee production.
The Jebena Buna ceremony is an important cultural and historical event even to this day and many Ethiopians proudly take part in it and uphold years of traditions and rituals. According to local customs, it’s the woman’s role to make the coffee beans into a beverage using the traditional cup which has a great social and cultural significance among Ethiopians. Locals traditionally drink coffee with their neighbors in groups. They normally roast the coffee over a coal fire before grinding it in a traditional mortar.
So everyone’s question on their mind would be what is the Ethiopian coffee ceremony actually like?
While water is boiling in a clay pot called “Jebena” in Amharic (the national language), ceramic cups are being prepared. Then they put the ground coffee in the saucepan and bring it to a boil until vapor begins to escape from the pot. Then they take the pot off the heat, wait a few moments for the coffee to settle, and then pour it into the cups to drink. “The fat of a cup of coffee is within its hotness,” says an Amharic proverb. They finish the third round by adding more ground coffee to the pot and re-boiling it while talking about other topics. It takes at least two hours to complete the entire ritual.
