Ethiopian Harrar Coffee
Heavy-bodied, spicy and fragrant, Ethiopian Harrar coffee is a wild and exotic dry processed (natural)Arabica coffee that is grown on small farms in the Oromia region (formerly Harrar) in southern Ethiopia at elevations between 4,500 and 6,300 feet. The province of Harrar, is east of Addis Ababa, the country’s capitol.
Harrars Known for Winey Acidity and Heady Aroma
Ethiopian Harrar coffee is known for its winey and fruity, floral-toned acidity—bright in the cup), even intense—and with a rich and pungent, heady aroma that is wonderfully reminiscent of blackberries.
A good Harrar is bold and edgy with a complexity and spice tones that may include cinnamon, cardamom, blueberry jam, apricots, compote, even smoke, and with a lingering finish.
Harrar Coffee Processing
A dry processed coffee, a fine Harrar may taste a bit wild and even jammy in comparison to EthiopianYirgacheffes coffees which are typically wet processed and tend to exhibit citrus and floral notes. During the dry processing of the Harrars the tastes of the coffee’s fruit are allowed to impart to the coffee beans as the fruit dries on the bean.
Harrar’s fruity taste has been likened to dry, red wine, and some Harrars exhibit tones of very rich, dark chocolate.
Ethiopian Harrars – The Powerhouse Coffees
The Harrar coffees are considered power house coffees, exhibiting a bold taste that resonates in the cup. Being sun-dried, these coffees exhibit a complex, wild fruitiness that is unmistakable, though sometimes a bit muted.
A fine Harrar coffee has a very interesting dry edge to it, and sometimes a surprisingly pleasant, slightly fermented aftertaste including intense notes of jasmine.
Longberry, Shortberry and Mocha Harrars – Does Size Matter?
As some of the world’s finest gourmet coffees, the Ethiopian coffees are separated and rated by bean size with the general assumption that bigger beans are higher in quality.
In general it is true that larger beans usually contain more of the precious essential oils that create flavor and aroma, yet there are also other factors besides bean size that may be just as important to the beans’ quality.