Origin Story

Coffee isn’t merely well-adapted to Ethiopia’s terroir — it evolved in the understory of the majestic forests of what is today Ethiopia. It should come as no surprise, then, that the heirloom varieties still grown there produce flavors that can’t be found anywhere else on earth. And within Ethiopia, we haven’t found anyone producing more flavorful coffees more consistently than the Adinew family operation, METAD. It operates the first CQI-certified lab in Africa and the highly trained teams at its washing stations apply best-in-class quality control processes to create opportunities for thousands of smallholder coffee growers. This lot was grown by members of the Buku Farmers Association and fully washed by METAD at its washing station in Hambela.

Sensory

The washed Buku is a bounty of stone fruit and soft citrus, which is a perfect example of terroir for this coffee.

  • Type Single Origin
  • Country Ethiopia
  • Flavor Profile Caramel + Stone Fruit
  • Variety Ethiopian heirlooms

The details

Origin story

  • Country Ethiopia
  • Producer smallholder growers
  • Region Oromia, Guji Zone
  • Elevation Range 1900-2250 m
  • Processing Method Washed
  • Drying Method raised bed sun-dried
  • Harvest November 2022 - Feburary 2023
Coffee isn’t merely well-adapted to Ethiopia’s terroir — it evolved in the understory of the majestic forests of what is today Ethiopia. It should come as no surprise, then, that the heirloom varieties still grown there produce flavors that can’t be found anywhere else on earth. And within Ethiopia, we haven’t found anyone producing more flavorful coffees more consistently than the Adinew family operation, METAD. It operates the first CQI-certified lab in Africa and the highly trained teams at its washing stations apply best-in-class quality control processes to create opportunities for thousands of smallholder coffee growers. This lot was grown by members of the Buku Farmers Association and fully washed by METAD at its washing station in Hambela.

How To Brew

We recommend starting with a 1:18 coffee-to-water ratio, which provides an excellent total extraction level and maximizes flavor pulled out of the ground coffee. For our single origin coffees we recommend a pour over method either on a Chemex, V60 or Kalita Wave on a 5 or 6 grind setting if you are ordering from Intelligentsiacoffee.com.

Recommended Method Pour Over

  1. 01.
    Boil Water 205 - 216 F
  2. 02.
    Weigh Coffee 1g of coffee per 18g of water
  3. 03.
    Drop In Filter Add filter to equipment
  4. 04.
    Grind Coffee Grind coffee and add to filter
  5. 05.
    Add Water Add water in stages
  6. 06.
    Remove Filter Enjoy your coffee!
Image of pour over demonstration
    • Image of two growers hugging in field
      Image of two growers hugging in field
    • Image of the sky and mountains landscape
      Image of the sky and mountains landscape
    • Image of growers sorting coffee beans
      Image of growers sorting coffee beans

    Why We're Different

    • Intelligentsia coffee buyers travel year-round working with a network of farmers. From the farm, coffee arrives at the roasting works in Chicago and Los Angeles, where coffee professionals cup, grade, and release over 50 single-origins and blends annually.

    • Intelligentsia Direct Trade means partnering with people who obsess about quality as much as we do, and building meaningful relationships with farmers. Today, the Intelligentsia Direct Trade community includes more than 50 partners in 14 countries.

    • A quarter-century of obsession with quality, more than 15 years of sourcing great coffee the right way, and an authoritative point of view on how to elevate coffee make Intelligentsia a trusted partner on your coffee journey.

12oz of Ethiopia Washed Buku
Ethiopia Washed Buku