Cast Iron Coffee Roasters: Ethiopia, Gelana Abaya - Natural

Abaya is another gem in the Yirga Cheffe region. This area is nestled between Lake Abaya on the west and the town of Yirgacheffe on the East. Here at Cast Iron, we are big fans of natural coffees, but one thing we do know is that it takes an amazing origin to shine through the intense flavour profile that comes from this process. Much of the coffee grown in Ethiopia is done using traditional methods, under shade trees alongside other crops and without the use of chemicals. Coffee from Yirgacheffe is often referred to as ‘garden coffee’ as it is grown on very small plots, often in the back yard of small dwellings.

IN THE CUP - very sweet strawberry milkshake balanced with notes of peach and a lovely long honey finish.

ESPRESSO

Natural Yirgacheffes make wonderful espressos and truly delicious flat whites. If you want to introduce a friend to speciality coffee, these are a great place to start.

We recommend using a 19g dose with a classic 2:1 recipe to produce a 38g gram shot. Running at 9 bar, we find that a shot time of around 28 seconds will give a very balanced espresso with good acidity and balance. If you plan to drink with milk, aim for a slightly longer shot time of around 34 seconds to dull the acidity slightly. Extractions levels will be around 19.8%

FILTER

We like to use a Chemex for the Gelana Abaya to fully enjoy its sweet flavours. Grind courser than you usually would for a V60 pour over and aim for a total brew time of 3:30 - 4:00 minutes when using 30g for 500ml. If you are brewing a larger quantity, grind courser again and aim for a time of 4:30. Make sure to fully wet the coffee bed and stir to ensure all grounds are equally dampened.