Ethiopia Sidamo Karamo

Dark Chocolate, Black Tea, Red Berries

The Sidama region of southern Ethiopia is renowned for producing some of the country’s most prized coffees. Our recent visit focused on the washing stations operated by Karamo Coffee, offering insight into both traditional practices and innovative processing techniques.

Leikun Zegeye leads a highly dedicated team of processors who take great pride in perfecting classic washed and natural coffees, while also pushing boundaries through the development of new and often experimental methods.

Smallholder farmers in Sidama produce exceptionally high-quality coffee on plots typically ranging from 1–4 acres. These plots are largely dedicated to sustaining the household, with crops such as false banana (enset), cabbage, and space for chickens providing eggs and meat. Most families also keep one or two cows for milk. Coffee is grown as a cash crop to supplement family income and is carefully picked at peak ripeness before being delivered to the local washing station.

Each Tuesday during the harvest season, the Ethiopian government issues a national coffee price, ensuring fair and consistent payment for farmers. Approximately 6kg of ripe coffee cherries are required to produce 1kg of green coffee. Smallholders often harvest weekly, sometimes delivering as little as 5–10kg of cherries per trip.

The washing stations play a vital role in the local economy, providing steady employment throughout the harvest period. Teams work around the clock hand-sorting, pulping, washing, fermenting, and drying cherries as they arrive. It is at this stage that the inherent quality of the coffee is not only preserved but significantly enhanced.

Leikun and his team are actively exploring advanced processing techniques, including carbonic maceration and fermentations incorporating ingredients such as bananas and cardamom. Coffees are dried in dark rooms to eliminate direct sunlight, while some fermentations are submerged in the local stream to maintain consistently cool temperatures.

Karamo Coffee is a kaleidoscope of colour and energy — equal parts meticulous craftsmanship and playful experimentation — evoking a distinct Charlie and the Chocolate Factory atmosphere, where curiosity and precision meet. 

ORIGIN: Ethiopia

REGION: Sidama 

SCORE: 82.5

TYPE: Arabica

VARIETAL: Landrace/Hierloom

ALTITUDE: 1480-2200 masl

PROCESS: Fully Washed