Hambela Washing Station

Hambela Washing Station processes coffee from the highlands of Uraga in Ethiopia's East Guji Zone, Oromia. Working with Kuri Mountain Coffee and its network of out-grower farmers, the station receives cherry grown between 2,100 and 2,200 meters above sea level, among the highest coffee land in the country.

Cool temperatures and a natural semi-forest environment slow cherry development here, and the farmers who deliver to Hambela grow traditional Ethiopian heirloom varieties. The harvest runs from October to January, with ripe cherries hand-selected at peak maturity so only the best fruit moves forward to processing.

For natural lots, one of Ethiopia's oldest and most celebrated coffee traditions, the station sorts the whole cherry and dries it on raised African beds for approximately three weeks. Skilled workers monitor and sort the coffee throughout drying, removing under-ripe cherries to ensure consistency and quality. The slow drying allows the fruit sugars to enhance the coffee's sweetness and body while preserving its vibrant fruit character.

Hambela's Grade 1 natural is the coffee behind our Ethiopia Guji Hambela.