Ethiopia — Mulugeta Muntasha JARC 74158 (Washed)

Tastes Like — 🌸 White Flowers • 🍋 Meyer Lemon • 🍑 Apricot • 🍯 Wildflower Honey

DETAILS

• Producer: Mulugeta Muntasha
• Washing Station: Arbegona Wetmill
• Region: Arbegona, Sidama, Ethiopia
• Varietal: JARC 74158
• Process: Washed
• Altitude: 2300–2400 MASL
• Size: 340g

INTRO

Mulugeta Muntasha grew up in the Bursa village of Arbegona, Ethiopia—a region which didn't really grow coffee a decade ago. As a teenager, he worked as a truck driver in neighboring Arsi, transporting coffee lots from local smallholders to a private washing station. It is there that Mulugeta learned the business of coffee, and he took his newfound knowledge and understanding back to his home village of Bursa in 2021, shortly after farmers there had begun to plant coffee trees in an effort to cope with economic strain and climate change.

THE PRODUCER

Mulugeta established his own drying station in the area, called Dawencho, and placed second in the Cup of Excellence only a year later. Today, Mulugeta owns a small network of washing and drying stations throughout the Sidama region, and his name is a mainstay at CofE cupping tables. He and others in the region are working to create agency and build value for themselves as coffee producers—a feat which has not often been undertaken, or appreciated, in Ethiopia.

This release comes from his washing station in Arbegona, which is supplied by 600 smallholders in the area. It is made up of only one variety, JARC 74158—another rarity for the coffee powerhouse that is Sidama as a region, and Ethiopia as a whole.

THE PROCESS

The Washed process at Arbegona Wetmill involves:

• 🍒 Harvest — Cherries handpicked at peak ripeness by smallholder farmers
• ✅ Sorting — Thorough quality sorting at the wetmill
• 💧 Washing — Cherries are depulped and thoroughly washed
• ☀️ Drying — Spread on raised beds until optimal moisture content (10–12%) is achieved

This meticulous approach ensures a clean, vibrant cup that showcases the terroir of Arbegona.

THE CUP

High-grown and meticulously processed, this coffee is a masterclass in the classic Ethiopian flavour profile. It boasts a clean and vibrant acidity, like Meyer lemons, and leaves us swooning over delicate stone fruit notes, like apricot. From white flowers on the nose to the honey-like sweetness that clings to the final sip, this coffee takes a swing at that beloved flavour profile… and hits it straight out of the park.

Flavour Notes

• 🌸 White Flowers
• 🍋 Meyer Lemon
• 🍑 Apricot
• 🍯 Wildflower Honey

We recommend brewing with beans that are at least two weeks off roast. All beans are roasted to peak flavour at around 6–12 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, if you are looking to use immediately).