This delicate Ethiopian coffee comes from Sidamo, the most productive coffee-growing region in the country, located just south of the capital Addis Ababa. The coffee is grown at high altitudes between 1500-2200m in mountainous terrain with highly fertile soil. Coffee cherries are hand-picked, wet-milled, and then dried on parchment for up to two weeks. The coffee displays bright citrus acidity with lemon and light cocoa notes, a soft and smooth body, and a very clean finish.
Phil Buckley and Evan Metz founded Dusty Ape in 2013, roasting from the Marsh Farm Industrial Estate in Hilperton, Wiltshire. The roastery carries around 20 different coffees from over ten producing countries, profiled initially on a 1kg Probat sample roaster before scaling to production batches. Their philosophy centers on the idea that coffee is seasonal and should be treated accordingly, with a Roaster's Choice subscription that gives subscribers first access to new selections before they reach the website. Many of the coffees carry Fairtrade, organic, or Rainforest Alliance certification. The roastery includes a public facing coffee bar whose opening hours are, by their own admission, dictated by the Sanremo Verona espresso machine.
