It was March 2024 when Emily and Michael from ZEM COFFEE visited us at Kurasu Ebisugawa for a cupping session of their new crop- we purchased last year’s Ethiopia Hamasho from them, and even after going through a change of exporter since then, the high quality and “convincing” flavors were very much still there.

From their coffee, the lots they offer as Ethiopia-Catalyst, we can not only feel the terroir but also something special about them as people.

It goes without saying different areas and processes make different flavors and they vary within their coffee, but throughout those at the core there are their attitude, philosophy and what you may say their “spirits” shining through. (I’m not talking about anything occult-ish- they have a solid philosophy and system that build the basis of their products’ quality, and that shows.)

This Chorso was at the left end of the cupping table. Compared to the last year’s Hamasho which was clean, floral and flamboyant, this Chorso is also floral but has a hint of spiciness, giving the vibe of exotic, imported sweets from overseas. This isn’t our typical choice for Ethiopia, but we were drawn to its unique balance.

Coffee always gives us something new to discover and explore, and that’s what makes it so fun.

I can’t wait for the next season already, but for now, I will roast a beautiful coffee out of this Chorso and share it with you.

Conical Dripper:

・Dripper: Hario V60 Dripper
・Coffee : Water Ratio: 14g : 200g
・Water temp.: 91℃
・Grind: Coarse

Step by step:

00:00~ 40g（Total: 40g）
00:40~ +60g（Total: 100g）
01:10~ +50g（Total: 150g）
01:40~ +50g（Total: 200g）

Finish brew: Approx. 02:30

Check out Kurasu Coffee Brew Guide for more information!

Flat Bed Dripper:

・Dripper: Kalita Wave Dripper
・Coffee : Water Ratio: 14g : 200g
・Water temp.: 92℃
・Grind: Coarse

Step by step:

00:00~ 30g（Total: 30g）
00:40~ +30g（Total: 60g）
01:10~ +140g（Total: 200g）

Finish brew: Approx. 02:05 to 02:15

Check out our Youtube for more information!

Conical Dripper:

・Dripper: Hario V60 Dripper
・Coffee : Water Ratio: 14g : 150g
・Water temp.: 91℃
・Ice cubes: 70g
・Grind: Medium fine

Step by step:

00:00~ 40g（Total: 40g）
00:40~ +60g（Total: 100g）
01:10~ +50g（Total: 150g）

Finish brew: Approx. 02:10

Check out our Japanese Iced Coffee Recipe for more information!

ZEM’s Coffee Cherry Fermentation process begins with ripe cherries from smallholder outgrowers delivered to the washing station. We pay a premium for these cherries to first enter float tanks, allowing lower-density cherries to be skimmed off and only the highest density fruit to be selected for drying tables and careful hand sorting for defects.
The cherries, now with a vibrant appearance, are transferred to cement hoppers and then to rough-surfaced pulping disks to remove the skins. The seeds are then moved through density channels and tanks where they begin fermentation, helping to remove the sticky mucilage from the seed.
This is where our Coffee Cherry Fermentation process comes into play. Instead of the standard method of filling the fermentation tank with pulped parchment and covering it with water, we use a unique approach.
Cherry skins removed during pulping are added at specific points in the fermentation process, infusing the coffee with controlled cycles. Once fermentation is complete, the parchment coffee is moved to washing channels where local filtered river water flows over it. Laborers, often singing to keep in rhythm, scrub the coffee with wooden rakes until the water runs clear.
After washing, the parchment is transferred to wood-and-wire trays for draining, where it drip-dries for 6-10 hours. Once drained, the beans, still in their parchment jackets, are spread on shaded open-air drying tables to let the sun remove excess moisture. When the coffee reaches our desired drying level, it is bagged and transported separately to a regional processing mill, and then to Addis Ababa for final export processing and
loading into containers for the journey from tree to cup.