Daanisa is the name of an umbrella-shaped tree under which coffee is planted in the Guji region of Ethiopia.
This allows the coffee plants to grow in the shade of this indigenous medicinal tree.
Is also the name given to a sub-locality in the Guji region, in Ethiopia.
The smallest administrative unit in this country is known as kebele and Daanisa is a sub-kebele that groups together about fifty families, from which this coffee comes.
Coffee processing at the Dambi Uddo washing station
The coffee that we introduce to you, a natural-processed coffee, is the product of the work of these families.
The washing station where they process this coffee is called Dambi Uddo, and it is located in the Guji region.
Growers select and harvest the coffee cherries manually.
Once in the washing station, they undergo a second selection to ensure that only the ripest cherries are processed.
After this second selection the coffee cherries are put in water.
Only the ripe cherries will fall to the bottom and in this way, they are separated from defective cherries or other possible elements that would contaminate the coffee.
Floating cherries are also processed for lower quality coffees.
Once cleaned and separated, the cherries are taken to African beds to dry.
During the drying process, which can last from two to three weeks depending on the atmospheric conditions, the cherries are frequently moved and the selection process continues, discarding those that are defective.
During the first days the cherries are spread in a single layer to optimize their processing and selection.
Then several layers are created that are constantly changing to slow down the drying and stabilize the humidity.
All this to ensure that the coffee you have in your hands is of the best quality.
Guji, a region of Ethiopia with excellent coffees
Until recently, the most famous coffees in Ethiopia were those from the Sidamo and Yirgacheffe regions.
It has only been recently when the Guji region has begun to differentiate itself, due to the profiles of the coffees grown there, from these two.
Guji is a mountainous, wooded region with a lot of rain.
These conditions create unique and different tasting profiles from the hitherto better known regions.
Ethiopia, the cradle of coffee
The exceptional quality of Ethiopian coffee is due to a combination of factors.
The great genetic diversity of different coffee types means that many flavour profiles are found.
This genetic diversity is due, among other factors, to the artisanal care with which coffee plants are grown.
In addition, the terrain, the altitude and the climate all work in favour of producing excellent coffees.
These forms of traditional farming mean that no pesticides or chemicals are used.
The tradition of growing coffee has also created the infrastructure -both processing plants and the possibility of exporting in small quantities- to make small-scale coffee farming possible.
And this is something that we, at Ineffable Coffee, always take into account and that is one of the basis of specialty coffee: that all members of the production chain receive a fair reward for their work.
It is the only way to ensure that we can enjoy an excellent coffee like this one, tomorrow.