Ethiopia — Limu Kossa Estate Heirloom (Washed, EA Decaf)

Tastes Like — 🍇 Grape • 🫐 Bramble • 🌰 Caramelised Almond

DETAILS

• Producer: Limu Kossa Estate
• Region: Limu Kossa Woreda, Ethiopia
• Varietal: Heirloom
• Process: Washed, EA Decaf
• Altitude: 1980–2100 MASL
• Size: 250g
• Roast: Espresso (Decaf)
  

INTRO

This EA-decaffeinated Ethiopian washed coffee from Limu Kossa Estate retains the full character and complexity of the region whilst offering a caffeine-free option. Through the Ethyl Acetate (EA) decaffeination process — which uses a naturally derived solvent from sugar cane — the coffee preserves its fruity, nutty profile of grape, bramble, and caramelised almond.

Suitable for espresso, this is a rare example of a decaf that genuinely delivers on flavour without compromise.

THE PRODUCER

Limu Kossa Estate is located in the Limu Kossa Woreda of Ethiopia, a historic coffee-growing region known for its lush, forested highlands and ideal growing conditions. The estate cultivates traditional Ethiopian heirloom varieties at altitudes between 1980 and 2100 MASL, benefiting from rich volcanic soil, consistent rainfall, and cooler temperatures that promote slow cherry maturation.

The estate follows sustainable farming practices and maintains close relationships with local communities, ensuring both environmental stewardship and equitable returns for those involved in cultivation and processing.

THE PROCESS

The coffee undergoes a traditional washed process before decaffeination:

• 🍒 Selective Harvest — Only ripe cherries are picked by hand.
• 🔧 Depulping — Cherries are mechanically depulped to remove the outer skin.
• 🧪 Fermentation — Beans ferment in water to break down and remove mucilage.
• 💧 Washing — Coffee is thoroughly washed in clean water to remove all remaining mucilage.
• ☀️ Drying — Beans are sun-dried on raised beds until reaching optimal moisture content.
• ❄️ EA Decaffeination — Green coffee is treated with Ethyl Acetate (EA), a naturally derived solvent from sugar cane, which gently removes caffeine whilst preserving the coffee's inherent flavour compounds and body. The EA process is known for maintaining more of the coffee's original character compared to other decaffeination methods.

The result is a decaf that tastes like a fully caffeinated Ethiopian washed coffee — fruity, complex, and remarkably clean.

THE CUP

A smooth, round decaf with the juicy sweetness of ripe grape, the jammy depth of wild bramble, and the warming, nutty richness of caramelised almond. The EA decaffeination process has preserved the coffee's body and complexity, delivering a cup that defies the typical expectations of decaf. Clean, balanced, and genuinely flavourful.

Flavour Notes

• 🍇 Grape
• 🫐 Bramble
• 🌰 Caramelised Almond