Ethiopia – Natural Guji – Almanac Coffee

Almanac Coffee is an independent, family-owned micro-roastery based in Duluth, Minnesota. I’ve had the opportunity to try Almanac Coffee in the past and it’s clear they keep getting better with the quality of their roasting and the coffee they are procuring. While I enjoyed their Colombian coffee from last December, this Ethiopian (and the other Guatemalan I tried) were extremely impressive.

The fragrance begins with an aroma full of berries (blueberry, strawberry), tropical fruit, tomato and subtle floral notes. The flavor was jammy with notes of blueberry and citrus and a juicy, fruit-forward sweetness that grew stronger as the coffee cooled. As expected with a naturally processed Ethiopian coffee, the acidity was strong throughout, though not overpowering. The body was heavier than expected given the profile of the coffee, but still fairly light. In the finish, the sweetness lingered and I tasted notes of banana and tropical fruit.

I tried the coffee in a variety of brew methods and it excelled in each of the pour over methods, but also made a really nice, sweet espresso.

The Bottom Line

Ethiopia Guji Hambela Debaye was a solid naturally processed Ethiopian coffee that aligned with my expectations for a coffee with this processing from the Guji region quite well. If you enjoy bright, berry-forward coffees, this is a great one to try.