Worka Sareji is a premium washed coffee grown in the Gedeo Zone of Ethiopia, an area renowned for producing some of the finest coffees in the world. This lot comes from smallholder farmers at altitudes between 1900–2200 masl in the village of Worka Sareji. With rich loam soil and an average annual rainfall of 1,450mm, the region offers ideal growing conditions for specialty coffee.
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The farmers deliver hand-picked, fully ripe coffee cherries to Melkalati Trading PLC’s washing station, where rigorous quality control begins. Under-ripe, overripe, and pest-damaged cherries are carefully sorted out, leaving only the highest-quality cherries for processing.
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The washed process starts with pulping the cherries using a locally made machine called Agard. The beans are then soaked in water for 48 hours to undergo wet fermentation, with the water replaced every 24 hours. Once fermentation is complete, the beans are thoroughly washed to remove all remaining mucilage.
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After fermentation, the coffee is soaked briefly in clean water (2–4 hours) and then shade-dried to prevent cracking. The main drying process follows on raised beds, where the coffee is sun-dried for approximately 10 days. To ensure even drying, the beans are uncovered in the morning and late afternoon, while midday heat is managed by covering them with mesh. The beans are dried to a target moisture content of 10.0–10.5%, resulting in consistent quality.
This lot features Ethiopian heirloom varieties, including Kurume, 74110, 74112, and 74165. The meticulous processing results in a clean, vibrant coffee with floral aromas, bright citrus acidity, notes of stone fruit & berries and a smooth, balanced body.
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Melkalati Trading PLC, established in 2018, manages several washing stations in the region, focusing on washed and natural coffee production. The Worka Sareji washing station was built in 2019 and has since been a reliable source for Grade 1 specialty coffee, produced with care and precision.
