Belayneh Beriso Sidamo Natural Gr. 1

Belayneh Beriso is one of the youngest coffee producers in the Bombe district. He is passionate about producing high-quality coffees and driven to try experimental processing to improve quality. His coffees are proof his hard work and are nuanced and delightful with notes of florals, baking spices, berries and black tea.

With altitudes above 2,200 meters above sea level, the Bombe district in Sidama is among the highest-altitude coffee-producing regions in Bensa, Sidama. Coffees from Bensa are known for their mild acidity and fruity and floral notes. Producers in the region are younger than the average in other regions and are highly informed and driven to produce specialty coffees. Bensa’s success in Cup of Excellence competitions remains unmatched.

In addition to coffee, Belayneh also cultivates false banana (enset), kidney beans and fruit trees. The fruit trees also serve as shade trees for growing coffee.

Belayneh selectively handpicks ripe, red cherry and processes it on his farm. Cherry is laid on raised beds to dry. Belayneh rakes cherry every hour to ensure even drying and covers it at midday and overnight. It takes approximately 16 days for cherry to dry.

The Sidamo region of Southern Ethiopia holds the distinction as one of the three trademarked coffee regions of Ethiopia. Alongside Harrar and Yirgacheffe, Sidamo holds a Designation of Origin for coffee grown in the region. That's unsurprising when you consider the high altitudes of 1,550 to 2,200 meters above sea level, plentiful rainfall and fertile soil that makes the coffee grown in this region so remarkable. 

The Sidamo region is named after the indigenous ethnic group, the Sidama, who call the region their home. On Sidamo’s Eastern border lies the large regions of Arsi and Bale while to the West, Sidamo is bordered by Gamogofa. 

Sidamo lies in the path of the Great Rift Valley and thanks to this, the countryside of Sidamo is lush and green. There are several freshwater lakes that provide drinking and agricultural water and account for the densely populated nature of this region.

The Great Rift Valley spans from the northernmost tip of Ethiopia across Kenya and all the way to the southernmost region of Tanzania. It is home to some of the oldest-known fossils of humankind, which suggests its importance in the early development of humanity.

Grades in Ethiopia depend on visual inspection for defects and on cup quality. Grade 1 is considered the highest quality coffee. Grade 1 and 2 are considered specialty coffee, grades 3-9 are classified as commercial coffee. Grade 1 is free of cup faults and taints and has zero quakers.