MORAL DECAY, Ethiopia

The Uraga Washing Station in Guji has long been regarded as a place of uncommon clarity and vibrant expression, and this lot stands as a testament to that reputation. It carries an intensity shaped through an experimental anaerobic natural process, a method introduced to the region in 2020 and now practiced with both precision and reverence. This process begins the moment the cherries are sealed from the world, enclosed in an environment where oxygen is denied and fermentation is allowed to take full command.

This lot is meticulously curated by smallholders of the region. Only the most fully ripe and immaculate cherries are chosen for this lot. They are separated from the rest, tightly packed into stainless-steel tanks, and sealed. Within this closed vessel the fermentation begins in earnest. CO2 gradually accumulates, creating internal pressure that forces its way through a one-way valve which allows gas and condensed water to escape while preventing oxygen from re-entering. As the pressure rises and the environment intensifies, the cherry’s own juices and mucilage flavours are driven deep into the seed. Over four to five days the colour of the fruit changes, marking the transformation taking place within each bean.

Once fermentation has run its course, the cherries are released from their tanks and laid across African drying beds, where they remain under the full sun for fifteen to eighteen days. Here the progress slows, and the fruit dries deliberately. Workers turn the cherries often, maintaining their clarity and guarding against over-fermentation or unwanted heat. Throughout this stage the beans continue to absorb the remnants of the fruit that surrounds them, creating layers of sweetness, depth and aromatic density.

The result is a coffee of rare dynamism, built upon multiple strata of flavour, each shaped by time, pressure and meticulous handling. It is a lot that reflects both the craft of Uraga and the evolving possibilities of the anaerobic process.