Acid Drop, Ethiopia, Anoxic Washed, 74158

Acid Drop, named for it's lemony flavour and for having a tonne of banging, juicy, sweet acidity, is a special special lot of 74158 crops from ALO (Chilaka lot). Cherries are handpicked at peak ripeness and fermented in tanks for 72 hours before being fully washed and dried. The anoxic fermentations dials up the sweetness, florality and acidity to create a washed Ethiopian on steroids. 

For those who love Ethiopian coffee, but crave some more intensity like that often seen in experimental Colombian lots, this one is a banger. 

About ALO:

"Alo Coffee was born from a dream—and a leap of faith. For years, former university teacher and electrical engineer Tamiru worked in coffee, witnessing firsthand the challenges of an industry where quality was often overlooked and producers were struggling. Despite his experience, the frustrations of unfair pricing and undervalued labor left him hesitant to start his own venture. That changed in 2020, when Ethiopia held its first-ever Cup of Excellence (CoE) competition a revelation that proved exceptional coffee could be celebrated and rewarded. Together with his wife, Messi, Tamiru set out with a singular mission: to prove that Sidama’s finest coffees could stand among the world’s best. In 2021, against all odds, their very first submission—a meticulously processed lot from their home village of Alo in Bensa—won Ethiopia’s Cup of Excellence, cementing their belief that dedication, not just tradition, shapes greatness."

For more, see https://alo-coffee.com/about/

Lot process details: 

Process details:

After harvest, ripe coffee cherries are fermented in tank for 72 hours. These cherries are then de-pulped and washed immediately using a mechanical washer.

The freshly washed parchment is then transferred to African drying beds, where it is carefully dried over a period of 12 days. Alo's dedicated team turns the parchment every hour to ensure uniform drying and to prevent over-fermentation. To protect the parchment from harsh sunlight, it is covered with shade between 12 PM and 3 PM each day.

Once the coffee reaches its target moisture content of 11%, it is moved to our warehouse for resting, allowing the flavours to stabilise and develop before final milling and export.

Location: Chilaka village, Bensa (Sidama)

Altitude: 2,320-2,400m

Variety: 74158

Station: ALO Chilaka station

Tasting Notes: Candied Lemons, Lemon Sherbert, Lemonade, Jasmine