Ethiopia — Alo Gemechu Station Landrace

Tastes Like — 🫐 Boysenberry • 🍊 Tangerine • 🍵 White Tea

DETAILS

• Producer: Tamiru Tadesse (Alo Coffee)
• Washing Station: Alo Gemechu Station
• Region: Mewa Village, West Arsi, Oromia, Ethiopia
• Varietal: Landrace
• Process: Natural
• Altitude: 2150–2250 masl
• Size: 227g / 8oz

INTRO — Cup of Excellence Winners Redefining Ethiopian Quality

In 2021, Tamiru Tadesse and his wife Messi achieved what many thought impossible: their very first submission to Ethiopia's inaugural Cup of Excellence competition won the entire contest. This wasn't luck—it was the culmination of years of experience, meticulous processing, and an unwavering commitment to proving that exceptional Ethiopian coffee deserves recognition and fair compensation.

This lot from the Alo Gemechu Station in West Arsi represents everything Tamiru has become known for: the classic berry-and-tea Ethiopian flavour profile elevated by refined cleanliness and precision processing. It's natural Ethiopian coffee at its most elegant—softer, sweeter, and cleaner than typical naturals, with a finish that lingers beautifully.

THE PRODUCER — Tamiru Tadesse & Alo Coffee

Before founding Alo Coffee, Tamiru spent years as a university teacher and electrical engineer whilst working in the coffee industry on the side. He witnessed firsthand the challenges facing Ethiopian coffee producers: unfair pricing, undervalued labour, and an industry where quality was often overlooked. Despite his experience, these frustrations left him hesitant to launch his own venture.

Everything changed in 2020 when Ethiopia held its first-ever Cup of Excellence competition. The event proved that exceptional Ethiopian coffee could be celebrated and rewarded on the world stage. Inspired, Tamiru and his wife Messi set out with a singular mission: to prove that their home region's finest coffees could stand amongst the world's best.

Their gamble paid off spectacularly. In 2021, against all odds, their very first submission—a meticulously processed lot from their home village of Alo in Bensa—won Ethiopia's Cup of Excellence. This victory cemented their belief that dedication and precision, not just tradition, shape greatness in coffee.

Today, Alo Coffee operates multiple washing stations across Ethiopia, including this Alo Gemechu Station in West Arsi's Mewa Village. At elevations between 2,150 and 2,250 metres, the station works with smallholder farmers cultivating traditional landrace varieties, applying Tamiru's refined processing methods to create coffees that balance Ethiopia's classic character with exceptional cleanliness.

THE PROCESS — Natural Processing with Precision

Tamiru's approach to natural processing emphasises cleanliness and control—qualities that set Alo Coffee apart from many Ethiopian naturals. The elegance lies in the simplicity: careful cherry selection, consistent monitoring, and patient drying create complexity without funk.

• 🍒 Selective Cherry Collection — Only fully ripe cherries are accepted from local smallholder farmers
• 🔍 Quality Sorting — Cherries are sorted to remove any underripe or damaged fruit
• ☀️ Whole Cherry Drying — Cherries are dried intact on raised beds, allowing fruit sugars to infuse the beans
• 🔄 Regular Turning — Consistent turning ensures even drying and prevents over-fermentation
• 🌤️ Extended Drying Period — Slow drying at high altitude allows controlled flavour development
• 👐 Final Hand Sorting — Multiple rounds of hand-sorting remove any defects

The result is a natural process coffee that showcases Ethiopia's signature berry-and-tea character whilst maintaining a cleanliness and refinement that's become Tamiru's trademark. This is precision applied to tradition—respecting Ethiopia's natural processing heritage whilst elevating it through careful attention to detail.

THE CUP — Refined Berry Sweetness with Tea-Like Elegance

This is Ethiopian natural coffee reimagined—softer, sweeter, and noticeably cleaner than typical naturals. The cup offers a blueberry-driven profile that balances fruit intensity with elegant restraint, finishing with a complexity that keeps you coming back for more.

Flavour Notes

• 🫐 Boysenberry — berries that bounce between blue and purple, juicy and sweet
• 🍊 Tangerine — bright citrus that shines through despite the berry dominance
• 🍵 White Tea — long, refined finish with delicate, tea-like complexity

The cup opens with berries—blueberry and boysenberry notes that are vibrant yet refined. What's remarkable is how a prominent sweet tangerine note manages to shine through the berry intensity, adding brightness and complexity. But it's the finish that truly sets this lot apart: long, elegant, and reminiscent of white tea, adding layers of sophistication that linger well after each sip.

This is natural fermentation done with intention and balance—expressive without being overwhelming, complex without losing clarity. It's a timeless classic that showcases both the potential of West Arsi's terroir and Tamiru's mastery of natural processing.

We recommend brewing with beans that are at least two weeks off roast. All beans are roasted to peak flavour at around 8-12 weeks. We have the option to either purchase standard beans (at least 2 weeks but no longer than 6 weeks off roast), or rested beans (at least 7 weeks off roast, no longer than 12). For peak flavour, if you are looking to use immediately, we recommend purchasing the rested beans. If you are adding to your rotation of beans, we recommend purchasing the standard and allowing the beans to naturally rest and mature whilst you rotate through other beans.