Ethiopia Udesa Fora is a washed coffee from the Guji region, sourced from approximately 300-400 smallholder farmers through the Udesa Fora washing station managed by Mekonnen Beriso and owned by exporter Daye Bensa. Grown at 1900-2100 meters altitude, this coffee features the varieties 74112 and 74158. Cup notes reveal ripe citrus fruits including nectarine, peach, and mango with lively alpine and sweet floral characteristics.
Bow Smith, Holden Curran, and Jessi Lee Cord launched Rowan Coffee in October 2020 as a mobile espresso operation in Asheville, North Carolina, growing quickly into a permanent home. Bow brings nearly a decade of barista, roasting, and management experience, and began roasting in house in January 2023 on a 15 kilo Mill City Roasters machine. Rowan centers mainly on washed process coffees, prizing clarity and complexity, with green beans sourced from specialty importers including Semilla, Osito, Red Fox Coffee Merchants, and The Coffee Quest. Everything is roasted to order on Tuesdays and shipped the following day. The approach is deliberate and seasonal, letting each coffee speak to where and how it was grown.
