It's finally back!!
A truly exceptional coffee from a farm that embodies our values here at Skylark, this is quite possibly the best Ethiopian coffee we’ve ever released. It was a delicious fan favourite last year, and this year it's juicier and fruitier than ever — bursting with sweet notes of strawberry, pineapple, and mango plus a delicate wisp of orange wine to bring that perfect level of acidity.
Why is this coffee called ‘Ashu’? When Dawit Syoum (pictured above) was born, his grandparents gave him the nickname Ashu, meaning Great Satisfaction. Bette Buna gives their anaerobic lots the name ‘Ashu’ not only because they make for greatly satisfying cups of coffee, but also because, like Dawit, there is a lot of ingenuity, hard work, and a certain amount of luck that bring these coffees into being. This special Ashu lot is a 96-hour anaerobic natural lot processed by Dawit and Siday Tadesse, Bette Buna’s processing manager.
We’re getting about 25 different coffees from Bette Buna this year because we so strongly believe in all the work they're doing to facilitate community growth through coffee farming and production. For a bit more about Bette Buna, read on below or check out our blog post here.
Betta Buna was founded by partners Hester Westerveld-Syoum and Dawit Syoum when they inherited their grandfather’s tiny family farm in Taferi Kela, Sidamo. With a background in NGO and development work, they decided to grow and scale the farm as the foundation for a larger company with greater impact.
Having started in 2019, they have already grown considerably. They have expanded the Taferi Kela farm from 2 to 50 hectares and have spread to a second 50-hectare farm in Megadu, Guji. Both farms have tree nurseries where climate change-resistant varietals are grown to share with surrounding farmers. Similarly, they have facilities where they not only process their own lots but also educate other farmers in processing techniques, while their Coffee Campus programme provides training in roasting, brewing, and even exporting. They provide countless opportunities for their farming communities by not only teaching and motivating farmers but also hiring local workers at their nurseries and mills, including single mothers and disabled people who would struggle to find employment elsewhere. They also work hard to incorporate sustainable farming methods, rewild forests on their land, and protect local wildlife to promote ecosystem health for coming generations.
To create this lot, cherries were de-pulped and then fermented with extra pulp from another washed coffee lot in sealed barrels. There were no added yeasts or starters, but the pulp gave the bacteria some extra sugar to feed on. After fermentation, the coffee was washed, spread in thin layers on African raised beds, and dried in the sun for about 20-25 days. Once correct moisture levels were reached, the cherry was bagged and rested for at least eight weeks to improve complexity and flavour profile.
We're proud to support Bette Buna and plan to partner with them for many years to come.
Picture 1: Dawit Syoum harvesting ripe coffee cherries
Picture 2: Guji Megadu forest
Picture 3: Bette Buna team meeting
Picture 4: Sisay Tadesse standing next to anaerobic fermentation barrels
Picture 5: Sisay Tadesse and Hester Westerveld-Syoum
Elevation: 1900-2200 MASL
Varietal: 74112, 74110 & Enat Buna Megadu
Cup score: 91
Price paid per kg: £15.29
Process: 96hr Anaerobic Natural
