Bean Fruit Coffee – Ethiopia Sidama Michicha “Ardi” Natural
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| BeanFruit’s Ethiopia Sidama Michicha “Ardi’ Natural |
I was first introduced to BeanFruit Coffee Company out of Flowood, MS by a friend of mine who is a barista at one of my favorite coffee shops here in Raleigh. This friend is originally from Mississippi and brought back a bag of their coffee after a recent trip home and was kind enough to share some with me one day while I was hanging at the shop. After my first taste I was very eager to get a bag of of mine own to experiment with and review for my blog. Today’s review is of BeanFruit’s Ethiopia Sidama Michicha “Ardi’ Natural, a coffee that I have really come to admire.
Origin BackgroundI always enjoy reading about where my coffee comes from as it helps me develop a better appreciation and connection with the coffee I am about to enjoy. Here is a quick overview of what I learned about the origin of BeanFruit’s Ethiopia Michicha “Ardi” Natural. Based on my online research, I learned that the Sidama region of Ethiopia is well known for producing high quality naturally processed coffees, which are some of the most difficult coffees to produce.
One of the toughest parts of naturally processed coffees is ensuring the correct level of ripeness is selected. This is done through labor intensive process of picking out over and under ripe beans while executing continual hand rotation on raised drying beds. The the constant rotation results in an even and consistent drying while preventing bacteria or mold build up through good air flow, dry conditions and constant movement.
The name ”Ardi” originates from an unusual source. It is a tribute to the discovery of a 4.4 million year old human fossil (name Ardi) discovered in Ethiopia in 2009. Ardi coffee is processed at a mill in the Guji area of Sidamo zone in southern Ethiopia near the small town of Michicha.
Weighing BeanFruit’s Ethiopia “Ardi’ for my AeroPress
Brew MethodI kept it simple this time around. I only used one method. I prepared each cup using my AeroPress. Typical process involved measuring out 24 grams of coffee and 300 grams of water. I’ve been enjoying my new grinder and kept the Baratza Preciso grinder dialed in at 16 to achieve fine grind that I find works very well with my AeroPress Method. I was consistently happy with the results using this approach.
Thoughts about the CoffeeI really enjoyed this coffee. So much so that I’ve made everyone I know who drinks coffee try it. I do that when I find something I really like as I feel selfish if I keep it all to myself. I’ve shared this coffee with coworkers and family members alike and it has been very well received by all. I think I even converted my mother, a creature of coffee habit, into the newest BeanFruit fan
The beans were extremely fresh when I received them. The aroma coming off them fresh out of the bag is slightly sweet with soft hints of wildflowers and berries – specifically blueberry and raspberry. Upon brewing these aromas translated into an extremely flavorful cup. Not in an overpowering sugary fruit juice way, rather a well balanced deep and full-bodied cup with the perfect mix of citrus acidity, slight teasing bittersweetness of berry & dark chocolate.
While I wouldn’t hesitate to enjoy a cup of this BeanFruit “Ardi” Ethiopia with my typical breakfast, I often found myself enjoying this full bodied coffee all by itself. This is a coffee you can really sit back and enjoy as you explore the flavor with each sip. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to enjoy it on several occasions over the past month and each time I felt like I was discovering something new about it. One thing this coffee has taught me about myself is that I am quickly becoming a fan of the fermentation commonly present in naturally process coffee. I am looking forward to trying more coffees processed this way in the future.
To purchase a bag of BeanFruit’s “Ardi” Ethiopia or view their other current coffee offerings check out their online store here. I am also very please to see that not only are their coffees very reasonably priced but they offer excellent affordable $3.95 flat rate shipping! If you do try their coffee please come back and leave a note in the comment section here as I would love to hear what you think. Enjoy!
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