History & Origins
The Hambela Washing Station takes its name from both its geographic location in the Guji Zone of Ethiopia and its owner, Kedir Hassan . Hassan, described as “an extremely proficient and capable engineer,” built the entire Hambela station in one season , establishing it as a facility in 2016 in one of the highest altitude areas of the Guji Zone’s Uraga district . Hassan did not complete Hambela on his own, relying on long-standing connections with the local community for much-needed support . Kedir Hassan is the older sibling to Esmael Hassan, who produced another notable Guji coffee called Kayon Mountain .
The station represents a significant development in Guji’s coffee infrastructure. More small washing stations are being built in Guji to respond to the demand for improvements in processing to fully capture the range of attributes found in Ethiopian coffee . About 800-1000 producers supply coffee cherries to the Hambela washing station, growing coffee within about a 5-kilometer radius of the station . Hambela provides price premiums and credit services for farmers, incentivizing growers to ensure they receive high quality cherries .
Terroir & Growing Conditions
Hambela Station sits at just over 1,800 meters above sea level, and the growing areas top out at a whopping 2,300 meters . The station operates in the broader Guji Zone, which was once considered part of Sidama but has since earned recognition for its distinctive character, with fertile volcanic soils and high diurnal range at 1,400–2,100 meters . The Deri Kidame washing station area has fertile red brown soil and Cordia Africana and Acacia Ensete ventricosum trees for shade, benefiting the coffee plants grown by many smallholder farmers .
Guji’s microclimate is characterized by high elevations, abundant rainfall, cool temperatures, and rich volcanic soils . The region experiences distinct wet and dry seasons, with ample moisture supporting lush vegetation and healthy coffee trees, while cool, misty mornings and sunny afternoons help coffee cherries mature slowly, enhancing their sweetness and complexity . Guji’s deep red volcanic soil enhances mineral uptake, contributing to rich body and bold fruit . The average farm size in this area is 2 hectares and most of the coffee is grown in garden plots that also produce other crops .
Processing & Production
Hassan produces both wet and dry processed coffees at the facility. Everything was built with high processing standards and efficiency in mind . For natural processing, the whole coffee cherry is laid to dry in the sun for upwards to 30 days , while coffee cherries are sorted to remove less dense fruit prior to processing, then moved to raised beds where they are dried for approximately 18 days .
The washing station is outfitted with 10 fermentation tanks and 181 raised drying beds which are assigned individual codes, allowing for improved traceability and a higher level of control and tracking throughout the drying process . For washed processing, premium coffees are depulped within 8 hours after picking and the mucilage-covered parchment is submerged in water for a 36 to 48 hour fermentation. After most of the mucilage is consumed, the coffee is fully washed in canals with running water until completely transparent, then dried on raised beds under a shade net for 5 to 7 days .
The station has also experimented with innovative processing methods. Some lots undergo Anaerobic Natural processing, where coffee cherries are sorted to remove less dense fruit prior to being sealed into containers for anaerobic fermentation .
Cup Profile & Tasting Notes
Lots from Hambela cup with remarkable cleanliness, not just in context of other dry process coffees . Natural processed lots display vivid fruit notes of blueberry, raspberry, mango puree, pineapple, orange, and layers of unrefined sugar , with a lovely jasmine floral note that graces the lighter roasts . The coffee exhibits bright blueberry, raspberry, and pineapple flavors in an exceptional light roast .
Washed lots present a different character profile. The washed Hambela Hassan is as sweet as it is floral, with tea-like fruited notes such as peach and apricot, tangy tangerine, pink grapefruit, and English Breakfast tea in the aftertaste . City roasting produces a lovely cup profile built from notes of stone fruit and citrus, with easily discernible jasmine floral accents, while the hot cup has apricot and Assam tea flavors with crystal clear sweetness .
The cup offers a bit of lemony floral acidity upfront that quickly fades into nice red fruit notes, balanced with a smooth chocolate undertone that lingers in the aftertaste . Tasting notes include fragrance and aroma of jasmine and yuzu with up front notes of cocoa, honeysuckle and rue, finishing with cane sugar, yuzu, white chocolate and dark chocolate, featuring bright and complex acidity with citric, malic and lactic notes .