Ayla Bombe - Ethiopia buckets

Notes: Caramel, peach and lemon
Origin: Sidamo
Producer: 800 smallholders 
Altitude: 2000 masl
Variety: JARC 74110, JARC 74158
Process: Fully Washed

Information:

Faysel Abdosh established Ayla washing station in 2018.

Ayla is Testi’s first station in Sidamo. About 800 farmers contribute cherry to the station. They cultivate coffee at high altitudes of 1,950 to 2,000 meters above sea level on small plots about 0.5 hectares on average. In addition to buying cherry, Testi Specialty Coffee also contributes to community wellbeing. In Sidamo, they have helped build schools for local children, supported a water project to make clean water accessible and have helped connect homes to the electricity grid.

Farmers selectively handpick ripe, red cherry and deliver it to Ayla station. Since farms are small, most labor is done by the family. At the station, cherry is visually inspected and any damaged or underripe cherry is removed. Cherry is pulped and fermented in a fermentation tank for 36 to 48 hours. Following fermentation, parchment is washed in clean water and laid to dry on raised beds. Parchment is raked frequently to ensure even drying.