Ethiopia Dry Process – My Friend’s Coffee

I love discovering new roasters. Even more than that, I love discovering new micro-roasters. Even more than that, I love discovering new micro-roasters who are purchasing and roasting some really exciting and rare coffees. That’s how I felt when I discovered My Friend’s Coffee a few weeks back. Their packaging isn’t flashy (you don’t get more basic than a small black bag with the name of the coffee written on Sharpie), but the coffee inside is a true treat. In speaking with Gary, the owner and roaster of My Friend’s Coffee, and looking at his coffee selection online, it became clear the coffee he is selecting to buy and roast is truly special. This coffee was selected in the top ten at this year’s Cup of Excellence and another Ethiopian he offers is the winner of the Cup of Excellence (Keramo Niguse Gemeda).

This naturally processed coffee from the Sidama region of Ethiopia began with a sweet and complex fragrance that reminded me of pineapple, blueberries, strawberries and a mix of other tropical fruit flavors. During the brew I picked up much of the same aromas, but also subtle notes of banana—one of the most exciting notes I think to find in coffee. In the flavor I tasted much of the same with tropical fruit notes taking a forefront and being supported by sweet fruit and floral notes and some fleeting sacred banana notes. The acidity was present, but not overly pronounced and the mouthfeel was smooth with a medium body. The fruit-forward sweetness was dominate throughout with the tropical fruit notes taking a front seat. The finish was fairly quick, but featured much of the same sweetness from the flavor.

I loved the complexity of flavors in this coffee and the way they evolved as the coffee cooled. The coffee worked really well in the two pour over methods I experimented with, but unfortunately I didn’t have enough to branch out further to other brew methods (I could see this coffee making a really exciting shot of espresso!).

The Bottom Line

This coffee more than any other taught me to not judge a coffee by the bag it comes in. The packaging was simple, but the coffee was complex and amazing. I can’t wait to try what else My Friend’s Coffee roasts in the coming months.