I believe you are talking about the processing method, just stick to washed. The ferment note is too strong for me in all but the cleanest, you probably use caution with honey processed coffees as well.

Pick up Kenneth David's home roasting book, it's a bit outdated but all the information is great and would have probably answered this question for you. It's 14 bucks so it's not much at all.

http://www.amazon.com/Coffee-Roasting-R ... 0312312199

akiley wrote:Do these Ethiopian DP have a distinct flavor that sets them apart from other regions for you? A flavor far beyond subtle? I've roasted a lot of the Nyeri from SW, which I find outstanding with no trace of this off flavor. In fact I've never tasted this fennel flavor from any place other than the aforementioned.

... Aaron

Good question, because it raises a lot of points, but it's almost comparing apples to oranges. Or in the case of a good Kenyan coffee, maybe blood orange?

I've never tried to lump one regions product into a single descriptor, I think you'll be prone to failure if you try because there'll always be outliers on each end of the bell curve.

What I've learned when it comes to playing with naturals, is that you have to like them pretty much as they are in their own right. Meaning, most people aren't going to like the results if you take a 50/50 blend of a natural Ethiopian and mix it with a clean washed Central. The effects that dry processing has in the resulting cup can be interesting in its own right, then turn on you and make a blend using a washed Central into a weird, asian pear, fermenty kind of experiment. If I want to play with a natural and blend it with another coffee, I find it needs to be a small supporting roll only, meaning like 25% of the blend or under.

You can't really compare a Kenyan to a dry processed Ethiopian then discuss flavor profiles that easily, since nearly all Kenyan coffees are wet processed. So you're actually debating both a region difference, a cultivar difference, and a processing difference. Too many delta's to juggle in my opinion.

Of note, most Kenya's are prized for their complexity and winey notes that some demonstrate. Even though its from washed coffees, the winey note can be perceived as fruit +ferment to some, leading to the comparison of a DP Ethiopian that has wild fermenty notes as well. But I steer clear of the later.

Intrepid510 wrote:I believe you are talking about the processing method, just stick to washed. The ferment note is too strong for me in all but the cleanest, you probably use caution with honey processed coffees as well.

Pick up Kenneth David's home roasting book, it's a bit outdated but all the information is great and would have probably answered this question for you. It's 14 bucks so it's not much at all.

http://www.amazon.com/Coffee-Roasting-R ... 0312312199

I think you may be correct. I'm probably particularly sensitive to dry processed coffee. As a test, I just ordered a from SM, a washed Yirga Cheffe Gedeo. I'll be curious if it will be licorice free. My previous Jirga Cheffe was a natural.

I've have Home Roasting in my collection for a while. Great book, I'll re-read. ... Aaron

TomC wrote:Good question, because it raises a lot of points, but it's almost comparing apples to oranges. Or in the case of a good Kenyan coffee, maybe blood orange?

I've never tried to lump one regions product into a single descriptor, I think you'll be prone to failure if you try because there'll always be outliers on each end of the bell curve.

What I've learned when it comes to playing with naturals, is that you have to like them pretty much as they are in their own right. Meaning, most people aren't going to like the results if you take a 50/50 blend of a natural Ethiopian and mix it with a clean washed Central. The effects that dry processing has in the resulting cup can be interesting in its own right, then turn on you and make a blend using a washed Central into a weird, asian pear, fermenty kind of experiment. If I want to play with a natural and blend it with another coffee, I find it needs to be a small supporting roll only, meaning like 25% of the blend or under.

You can't really compare a Kenyan to a dry processed Ethiopian then discuss flavor profiles that easily, since nearly all Kenyan coffees are wet processed. So you're actually debating both a region difference, a cultivar difference, and a processing difference. Too many delta's to juggle in my opinion.

Of note, most Kenya's are prized for their complexity and winey notes that some demonstrate. Even though its from washed coffees, the winey note can be perceived as fruit +ferment to some, leading to the comparison of a DP Ethiopian that has wild fermenty notes as well. But I steer clear of the later.

I suppose I'm discovering that a natural is something a bit different and looking for confirmation. It's strange, it seems like it's all or nothing too... of the 4 coffees I've had with this strong fennel taste, they have all been overpowering, no in a good way. All were naturals. All were full on fennel in your face. Never experienced any other coffee with even hints of this that I can remember. Lesson learned.

I think 4 coffees isn't enough to generalize a region or a processing method, especially a diverse coffee region like Ethiopia. I have the same problem you have, the other way around. I'm having problems with wet processed Ethiopian coffees, since the 3 I tried were not impressive. I've had great luck with dry processed Ethiopians, since the I've successively tried Tchembe, Konga, Geredawha, Amaro Gayo and Kochere and got hooked on the sweet berry notes and floral aroma. So now I'm extremely cautious with WP Ethiopians, and quite promiscuous with DP Ethiopians.

It maybe that roasting methods, tools and roaster's experience favors them mastering one beans style over the other...

[/img] Thanks to all that helped me with this. I just did two roasts of SweetMarias Yirga Cheffe Gedeo WP WASHED to compare to my original post of Yirga Cheffe natural and other naturals. (espresso shots) Sure enough, the way over the top fennel smell (present in green, roast, ground, and drip, of espresso) was all but gone. Instead, I'm getting a complex shot with balanced bitter/acid, and some taste I can't describe, sort of earthy interesting, possibly that fennel, or floral way in the back. NOTE: I've only let these roasts rest for one day, but this is a really exciting shot so far! Curious what more acid/lighter will do.

I roasted both a bit too dark even for espresso: (Hottop w probes and Roastmaster data logging)

Roast 1: 4.7-3.6-2.4 ended 10:43 @ 445f, 13 seconds into second crack. (usually don't go this dark)
Roast 2: 5-3.8-2.1 ended ..10:54 @ 432f no SC (I usually hit SC @ 437f). This tasted as I describe above. Next roast is going a bit lighter. Here are both roasts .