The birthplace of coffee, Ethiopia is revered for its beans. It produces some of the best single-origin coffees in the world. Accounting for more than half of Ethiopia’s foreign income, coffee is of extreme importance to the Ethiopian economy. The reliance on coffee export has lead to a high standard of quality throughout every step of the production process.
Ethiopian coffee beans are famous for possessing a rich, complex flavor profile. Expect lots of acidity, fruity notes, and an intense aroma from every brew. Part of the bean’s enduring popularity comes from the quality that’s found across the board.
Whether you like a mild or a very strong cup of coffee, Ethiopia’s got your back with some of the best beans in each class.
You’ve probably heard of Ethiopia Yirgacheffe coffee, which is considered by many to be one of the best coffees in the world. While this may be (and definitely is) true, it is also true that Ethiopia has a lot more to offer than just one coffee-growing region. We’ve done our best to include great coffees from a variety of different areas throughout Ethiopia.
There are countless Ethiopian coffee brands to choose from, making it hard to know where to start. We have compiled a list of 4 of the best Ethiopian coffees that we think any coffee lover will enjoy.
Table of Contents
FLAVOR OVERVIEW
For the most part, Ethiopian Coffees are full or heavy-bodied with a variety of flavor notes ranging from brilliant acidity to winey or earthy notes. Overall, most people are drawn to Ethiopian coffees because they can range from pretty mild to some of the boldest brews you’ll come across. As a result, there’s likely something out there for any coffee preference.
Top Picks Of Best Ethiopian Coffee Beans
| Image | Product | Features | Price |
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Organic Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Coffee |
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Buy On Amazon |
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Cubico’s Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Coffee |
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Buy On Amazon |
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Marley Coffee’s One Love Ethiopian Coffee |
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Buy On Amazon |
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Ethiopian Bright Light Roast Grade 1 |
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Buy On Amazon |
1. Organic Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Coffee
Next up is a USDA-certified organic and Fair Trade coffee. Like the Volcanica option, this is also a Yirgacheffee Coffee. This one is a nice light-medium roast (also called a city roast), so you should be able to appreciate the full range of the flavor profile.
As for that profile you can expect notes of lime with a lemony-citrus finish and a hint of tangerine. Additionally, the body is mild and a bit on the dry side.
The cooperative that produces this exceptional Fair Trade Organic Ethiopian Yirgacheffe was founded in 2012 and helps farmers in the area maintain a sustainable life. All 177 members help to lovingly produce the high-quality coffees that thrive in the region.
Yirgacheffe coffee is typically grown on small family-owned farms, positioned at high altitudes. It’s technically a sub-region of Sidamo.
Flavor Tones: Strong strawberry, guava, pineapple, decisive lavender taste akin to flowers, and dark chocolate. Sweet but with a bitter edge. Chocolate and lavender dominate the finish, which is tinged by a fruity taste and distinctly robust.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Fresh Roasted Coffee LLC
- Product Dimensions: 11 x 5 x 6 inches
- Weight: 5 Pounds
- Roast: Medium
Body: Thick but medium-bodied
Taste: Intricate, with clear tones of wine and fruit
Aroma: Earthy with a touch of strawberry and cinnamon - Sweetness: Average, fruity toned
- Acidity: Strong, not citrus, but fruity
- Storage: Always store coffee in an airtight container. Ground coffee should be used within 2 weeks of opening to ensure optimum freshness.
- Aftertaste: Robust
Features
- Flavor: Organic Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Coffee is an absolute favorite with notes of bright citruses and a sweet lemon tea finish.
- USDA and Fair Trade Certified: Fresh Roasted Coffee’s Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Whole Bean Coffee is both USDA organic and Fair Trade Certified.
- Predictable Flavor: It has a single origin in the Yirgacheffe region of Ethiopia, which gives it a predictable flavor profile of sweet tangerine, lemon tea, and lime.
- Kosher Certified: All freshly roasted coffee is Kosher Certified, sustainably sourced, and proudly roasted, blended, and packaged in the USA.
- Environmental Friendly Roaster: These coffee beans are roasted in an environmentally friendly Loring roaster to reduce our Carbon Footprint.
- Powerful Acidity Level: With hints of bright citruses like sweet tangerine and lime, the acidity level is powerful and bright, while the cup finishes with a dry, lemon tea finish.
2. Cubico’s Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Coffee
If you love the convenience of ground coffee or simply don’t have a coffee grinder, Cubico’s Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Coffee could be a good pick. The company makes it clear where their coffee beans are sourced: from a family farm in Yirgacheffe that practices organic farming. The coffee is single-origin rather than a blend and is freshly roasted before being shipped to the consumer. All the bags of coffee include a roast date.
Though the family farm where the coffee beans originate practice organic farming methods according to Cubico, there is no official USDA Organic certification. It’s also not Fair Trade Certified. Because of being ground, the coffee goes stale quickly, so be sure to store it in an air-tight container. This coffee also seems to be of unpredictable quality, often having a sour aftertaste.
An intricate collection of floral & grape notes has been highlighted by the colorful citrus-toned acidity which Ethiopian beans are famous for. An extremely unexpected, nevertheless seamless transition into a wonderful chocolate end makes this one brightly complete cup of java. There are uncounted Ethiopian coffee makers on the market, nevertheless, Cubico provides something extremely unique!
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Cubico Coffee
- Package Dimensions: 7.83 x 5.91 x 2.83 inches
- Weight: 1 Pound
- Country: Ethiopia
- Region: Yirgacheffe
- Altitude: 2000 masl
- Varietal: Ethiopian Heirloom
- Process: Washed
Features
- 100% Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Coffee: These coffee beans are grown on the sloping hills of the Yirgachaffe Valley in the famous coffee region of Sidamo, Ethiopia.
- Freshly Roasted Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Beans: Cubico Coffees are roasted in small batches and our roasters sign and date each bag to ensure freshness
- Cupping Notes: It has a smooth and creamy body, a complex citrusy with pronounced lime notes, floral flavor, and a sweet chocolate finish.
- Premium Ethiopia Ground Coffee: These coffee beans are medium roasted to preserve the coffee’s complex flavors and intense aroma
- Vacuum Sealed Bag: 16 oz. Ground Coffee is stored in a vacuum-sealed bag to ensure freshness
3. Marley Coffee’s One Love Ethiopian Coffee
Marley Coffee’s One Enjoy 100% Ethiopian Coffee Whole Bean is by an organization that cares deeply about sustainability and ethical business practices, therefore if that is valuable to you, then you may want to encourage this particular brand. The coffee is Fair Trade Certified and spouses with One Tree Planted for forest sustainability. The beans are medium-roasted and have a tasty, smooth flavor.
However, this isn’t the same One Love formulation that Marley Coffee once had. It’s no longer organic, for one thing. It’s also now a blend of Ethiopian coffee, which means you can’t predict the flavor notes.
Specifications
- Roast: Medium Roast
- Notes: Balanced and smooth, with exotic hints of berry
- Format: Whole Bean, Ground, Keurig Compatible Pods, Fraction Packs
- Package Dimensions: 9.4 x 8.3 x 7.9 inches
- Weight: 10.08 Ounces
- Manufacturer: Amazonas/MOSIP
- Roaster Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Features
- Taste: While this is a medium roast, the tastes are still subtle. There is a touch of acidity, but as the coffee fills your mouth, that soft bitterness is accompanied by a layer of smooth, dry chocolate sweetness. Not very sweet, just a hint, and very dry.
- Fairtrade Certified: Marley Coffee One Love is a Fairtrade certified, medium roast coffee, 100% Ethiopian, balanced and smooth, with exotic hints of berry.
- Supporting Reforestation: Marley Coffee partners with One Tree Planted, a non-profit organization to support reforestation by planting trees all over the world.
- For Best Taste And Freshness: Use 2 tablespoons of coffee for every 6 ounces of cold filtered water and store the bag in a cool, dark place.
- Contents: It includes six 10-ounce bags of whole bean Marley Coffee.
4. Ethiopian Bright Light Roast Grade 1
Anyone who is tired of boring old plain coffee and looking for a new and exciting experience in coffee drinking will instantly adore this single-origin coffee. It has an intense flavor that is quite unique and satisfying to the tongue. People who are interested in only drinking the highest quality coffee will enjoy this coffee as well.
One of the things that makes this coffee stand out from others is that it is from Ethiopia and is a light roast coffee. It seems that there aren’t many light roast coffees from Ethiopia. Furthermore, even though there are definitely notes of citrus in this coffee, it still has a smooth finish that is not at all acidic. If you enjoy light roast coffees, then this one will not disappoint you.
Flavor Tones: Slightly floral with a distinctive nutty taste and a bright citrus tartness. If you are looking to try something different in the world of coffee, that will be flavorful. But not overwhelm you with bitterness, this makes an excellent choice.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Cooper’s Cask Coffee
- Product Dimensions: 7 x 2 x 11.5 inches
- Weight: 12 Ounces
- Roast: Light
- Body: Smooth
Taste: Intense and refreshing. Combination of lemony tartness, floral nectar, and raw honey. - Aroma: Slightly nutty with fruit and floral undertones
- Sweetness: Not excessively sweet, but the general sweetness
- Acidity: Smooth non-acidic
- Aftertaste: Leaves behind a nutty aftertaste
Features
- Single-Origin Coffee: Ethiopian Bright Light Roast Coffee, Grade 1 Single Origin. An incredibly vibrant boutique of aromatics lights roast with bold intense colorful flavor profile!
- Vibrant Taste Profile: Intensely bright and clean, lemon tart, raw honey, floral nectar.
- Quality Sourced Beans: They profile each lot of green Ethiopian Coffee Beans (Grade 1). If it doesn’t meet their high standards it is not used.
- Small Batch Roasters: These premium coffee beans are artfully roasted in small batches to ensure fresh delivery of recent roasts. This gives us full control of the profile and creates a bold, smooth, flavorful coffee.
- Cooper’s Promise: Cooper’s give a promise to their customers that:
- “We’ve spent thousands of hours perfecting our craft. Therefore, we are confident that you will enjoy our coffee. If for any reason you do not love it, simply let us know, and we will issue a refund or replacement.”
To Sum Up
If you want to taste some of the best coffee in the world, then you need to experience the wide array of Ethiopian coffees that is available. Due to the fact that most Ethiopian coffee is wonderful, it is hard to determine exactly what would be the best Ethiopian coffee. There are just too many choices and too many delicious flavors.
One thing is for certain, and that is that Ethiopian coffee provides a pleasant respite from the bold, sometimes even harsh darker brew coffees that some people just cannot tolerate. If you are in the mood for a lively, bright, and wonderful coffee with some unusual twists to it. Try one of the above-mentioned brands, and you can’t go wrong
FAQ’s