Anyone for cucumber in their coffee? (The ecafe foundation)

[fred25]

See the following video:

http://www.pixelated.tv/index.php?optio ... 4&Itemid=4

For those interested in the E cafe foundation (a voluntary organisation helping ethiopian coffee farmers):

http://www.ecafefoundation.org/

One of the most important thing they do - I think - is have each year a competition (with two main categories - washed and un-washed) which then selects a few number of coffees to be sold at auction. This auction is pretty heated, with buyers from Japan (who got most of the highest-marked coffees), the U.S. and Holland buying at an average of $3.22 per pound - the highest being $6.50 per per pound.


I don't know much about the coffee world obviously but it's intersting to see what happening in Ethiopia - the obvious model for them for auction is Kenya, which I think now starts having coffee bought outside the auction system, while in Ethiopia motion in the opposite direction is happening, with coffee bought outside auctions (given that there were none) first and now starting to have auctions.

The advantages for the winning farmers are obvious - and according to a lot of people here and abroad the standard of ethiopian coffee is rising a lot (though whether this is due to the auction, solely or partly, is open to discussion I guess and I certainly don't know the answer!) .

Anyway, there are a lot of issues here that other people could discuss much better than me, but I thought this might be of interest!




Fred (drinking Yirgacheffe while typing )

[fred25]

Thought I'd add the table result from this year competition:

The sun-dried coffee winners
1 Hama from Yirgacheffe (92.5)
2 Kenteri from Oromia (Jimma type) (91.3)
3 Shanta Goba from Sidama (91)
4 Wotona Bultuma from Sidama (90.8 )
5 Shilcho from Sidama (90.3
6 Konga from Yirgacheffe (90.1)
7 Titira from Sidama (89.8 )
8 Gerbicho Lela from Sidama (89.6)
9 Adado from Yirgacheffe (89.6)
10 Kampi from Oromia (88.1)
11 Setamo from Sidama (88 )
12 Kello from Yirgacheffe (87.9)
13 Bale Kara from Yirgacheffe (87.2)
14 Michiti from Kafa (86.7)
15 Seneso from Oromia (85.1)

Washed coffees:

The washed coffee winners

1 Kello of Yirgacheffe (90.6)
2 Watadara of Sidama (90.1)
3 Gerbicho Lela of Sidama (88.2)
4 Halona Gelma of Sidama (87.7)
5 Nurakurate of Sidama (87.1)
6 Shilcho of Sidama (86.5)
7 Titira of Sidama (86.2)
8 Hafursa of Yirgacheffe (86.2)
9 Bokaso of Sidama (86.1)
10 Wicho of Sidama (85.8 )
11 Bale Kara of Yirgacheffe (85.3)
12 Tigil Fire of Tepi Union (85.2)
13 Bale Kara from Yirgacheffe (87.2)
14 Michiti from Kafa (86.7)
15 Seneso from Oromia (85.1)

Intersting to note some unwashed coffee were marked higher (and not only by ehiopians - I mean this in the sense that given the tradition of unwashed coffe in Ethiopia, they might like it more than international tasters to which washed is the norm (Am I right on this?) - the judges of the the competition come from all over the world as well as Ethiopia).


To me - as a coffee lover and drinker - the question is: are any of these coffees going to make it here?

Also, are these coffee from the auction better (or not) than the ones that were not in the auction?

[Beanie]

Hey thanks for that Fred

***edited***

[Steve]

The Boot's are very cool guys.

The problem with Ethiopia is the compertition makes it difficult for smaller european roasters to get involved in the process as its very States driven. An awesome origin, with some very special coffee's just very hidden, and tricky to find. But when you do find a good one its fantastic.

Steve

[fred25]

Yeah, that was one question I wanted to ask (a very stupid one probably, but then I don't know much about auctions): when you bid for a given coffee, do you have to bid for the whole lot (i.e. the whole amount of a given coffee)?

[zapty]

Thanks for all the info Fred and great for the farmers, they deserve to make a decent living.

[fred25]

Hey thanks for that Fred Willem Boot was the trainer in the cupping workshop I took in Seattle last year. The guy who mentioned "cucumber" (a description I've used before... but can't recall now for which coffee) Barend Boot from The Golden Coffee Box in The Netherlands, is his brother Both seem like really nice guys and they've definitely got passion for coffee

Thanks for the additional info! I really love his face when he's reading his cupping notes ans says 'cucumber'...

---edit 2---
BTW, Barend Boot has a taxidermied Luwak in the back of the GCB shop

[Steve]

Yeah, that was one question I wanted to ask (a very stupid one probably, but then I don't know much about auctions): when you bid for a given coffee, do you have to bid for the whole lot (i.e. the whole amount of a given coffee)?

Yes you get the whole lot then you have to get it from the country to the UK, which is not easy at all. Auction coffee is hard work, but often well worth the effort.

The screen price is only the half of what the coffee actually ends up costing. The Bolivia lot we bought this year cost more to ship than to buy !

Steve

[ivdp]

To wash or not to wash . . .
It depends on infrastructure and climate: enough clean water available?
Some places produce Fully washed, Semi washed and Sun dried coffees. All of same area/plantation.
A distinct difference in end result, to look at and to drink it.
Which one is better? A personal preference I would say.

Ivo

[Steve]

Indeed Ivo all down to taste, and what makes ethiopian coffee so facinating. A really strange cup at times, from gamey and earhty harar's right thga clean yirgs, could be grown on different planets.

Steve

[fred25]

Yeah, I hope we get to see more unwashed ethiopians in the future - harrar of course, but also sidamo, djimma (and even Yirg'!) - the first time I tasted a harrar was like an epiphany...

Out of interest, which Dutch company is it that won some of the coffee last year?

[Beanie]

Out of interest, which Dutch company is it that won some of the coffee last year?

The GCB referred above They won 2 lots

[fred25]

Thanks for the info, I'm just very stupid...

Had a look at their website but my Dutch isn't up to it - being as it is completely inexistant. Do they retail direct to the public in some way, or are they wholesalers? And if so, are there any of their clients that do retail? I'd love to be able to taste some of this year's auction coffees, but shipping from the states is expensive and sadly most of the coffee seems to be heading there... Never mind Japan!

[Beanie]

Yes, Fred, they do retail to the public The don't do internet orders but a quick telephone call will get you sorted out... and no worries, they'll speak English If you need any help with translation, I'll do my best... but more or less, I do understand their site