{"product_id":"ethiopia-megadu-lacto-natural-lot-d-25-26","title":"Ethiopia - Megadu Lacto Natural - Lot D [25\/26]","description":"\u003cp\u003eBette Buna have spent this down-cycle year (with low cherry availability, staggeringly high internal prices and high cost of production including fuel scarcity) focusing on two things - processing value-add, and systems improvement, and it's from this focus we've selected our second release of the new season Ethiopians.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis year's production included 4 pathfinder processing experiments. \u003cspan\u003eLots \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA, B \u0026amp; \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eC involved the inoculation of commercial yeast strains, but in lot D, they've left the endogenous wild yeast and instead inoculated with a lactic acid bacteria culture used for making sour beers. This lot absolutely jumped off the table with complexity, sweetness and acidity when we cupped it in Addis, and for that reason we air-freighted it ahead of the main Ethiopia shipment. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe entirety of this experiment produced 30kg of exportable green coffee, so it's extremely limited stocks - get it while it's here\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!--split--\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBrew Guide:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBest Brewed with: Filter\/Espresso\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eLightest Roaster Influence: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe've been tweaking round the edges on this one - we first approached it like we would a funkier coffee, dropping at a very low temperature and short development time. We've actually found it responded better somewhere between there and a classic natural, not needing to be handled with such kid-gloves.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBest Rested: 4+ weeks \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFilter: 64g\/L, 93°C when fresh, move down to 91°C with rest. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEspresso: 18g\/48g\/18-22s. Excellent soup\/turbo\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe’re tasting: \u003cspan\u003eSuper fun candylike aromatics - bubblegum, foam sweets and tropical fruits. In the cup while hot it's super sweet and interesting, with heaps of tropical fruit (pineapple, guava, soursop, and mango) with a creamy lactic acidity - a bit like tropical yoghurt, with floral lavender \u0026amp; honeysuckle. As it cools we're finding the acidity becomes a bit more prominent, and the cup evolves to remind us of zippy rosé champagne, with flaked coconut and raspberry undertones. Belter!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eTraceability\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; height: 532.313px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 32.5312px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; border-image: initial; vertical-align: middle; width: 19.0775%; height: 32.5312px; border: medium none currentcolor;\"\u003e\n\u003ch5 style=\"margin: 0;\"\u003eCountry of Origin:\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; border-image: initial; vertical-align: middle; width: 80.5615%; height: 32.5312px; border: medium none currentcolor;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEthiopia\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; border-image: initial; vertical-align: middle; width: 19.0775%; height: 19.5938px; border: medium none currentcolor;\"\u003e\n\u003ch5 style=\"margin: 0;\"\u003eRegion:\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; border-image: initial; vertical-align: middle; width: 80.5615%; height: 19.5938px; border: medium none currentcolor;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMegadu, Shakisso Woreda, Guji\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; border-image: initial; vertical-align: middle; width: 19.0775%; height: 19.5938px; border: medium none currentcolor;\"\u003e\n\u003ch5 style=\"margin: 0;\"\u003eProducer:\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; border-image: initial; vertical-align: middle; width: 80.5615%; height: 19.5938px; border: medium none currentcolor;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDawit \u0026amp; Hester Syoum-Westerveld\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; border-image: initial; vertical-align: middle; width: 19.0775%; height: 19.5938px; border: medium none currentcolor;\"\u003e\n\u003ch5 style=\"margin: 0;\"\u003eFarm:\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; border-image: initial; vertical-align: middle; width: 80.5615%; height: 19.5938px; border: medium none currentcolor;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBette Buna Megadu\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 16.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; border-image: initial; vertical-align: middle; width: 19.0775%; height: 16.5938px; border: medium none currentcolor;\"\u003e\n\u003ch5 style=\"margin: 0;\"\u003eVariety:\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; border-image: initial; vertical-align: middle; width: 80.5615%; height: 16.5938px; border: medium none currentcolor;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWild Guji Megadu (local landrace), JARC 74112\/74158\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 19.5938px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; border-image: initial; vertical-align: middle; width: 19.0775%; height: 19.5938px; border: medium none currentcolor;\"\u003e\n\u003ch5 style=\"margin: 0;\"\u003eElevation:\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; border-image: initial; vertical-align: middle; width: 80.5615%; height: 19.5938px; border: medium none currentcolor;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e2000 - 2200 MASL\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 333.094px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; border-image: initial; vertical-align: middle; width: 19.0775%; height: 333.094px; border: medium none currentcolor;\"\u003e\n\u003ch5 style=\"margin: 0;\"\u003eProcess:\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; border-image: initial; vertical-align: middle; width: 80.5615%; height: 333.094px; border: medium none currentcolor;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eLacto Inoculated Anoxic Natural: All the \"Yeast Frenzy\" lots followed the same protocol beyond the choice of inoculant, starting with extremely rigorous ripe cherry selection and sorting, before being placed in hermetically sealed barrels with the chosen starter culture. \u003cbr\u003eLot D used the endemic wild yeasts present on the cherry skin alongside a culture of Lactobacillus buchneri - a lactic acid bacteria that is used in the production of sour beers (think Gueze, Lambic, and Weisse style), typically using the kettle sour method. In beer, and in theory for this coffee process - the culture is used to massively ramp up acidity, first via lactic acid production, then converting that to acetic acid alongside other by-products. The inoculated cherries were fermented in an anoxic environment for 96 hrs, with frequent monitoring of °Brix, pH and temperature. Cherries were dried on raised beds with frequent turning, sorting and temperature management post ferment.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis pathfinder experimental lot produced 30kg of exportable green coffee only.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 32.5312px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; border-image: initial; vertical-align: middle; width: 19.0775%; height: 32.5312px; border: medium none currentcolor;\"\u003e\n\u003ch5 style=\"margin: 0;\"\u003eImport Partner:\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; border-image: initial; vertical-align: middle; width: 80.5615%; height: 32.5312px; border: medium none currentcolor;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDirect with Bette Buna (facilitated via Falcon)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); height: 39.1875px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; border-image: initial; vertical-align: middle; width: 19.0775%; height: 39.1875px; border: medium none currentcolor;\"\u003e\n\u003ch5 style=\"margin: 0;\"\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; border-image: initial; vertical-align: middle; width: 80.5615%; height: 39.1875px; border: medium none currentcolor;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCrop 25\/26 - Arrived UK: May 4th 2026. Third harvest purchasing coffee from Bette Buna\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe Story\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eA little side note - Bette Buna called these experiments the \"Yeast Frenzy\" series. We'll admit we bottled it, couldn't bring ourselves to put that on the label.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e25\/26 Ethiopia Harvest:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eIn many coffee producing countries, the harvest cycle is characterised by up-years and down-years - without consistent agrichemical\/organic inputs to feed the trees, a bumper crop is followed by a year of recovery for the trees, their organic matter picked, processed, dried and shipped to become the beverage we all so love.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eHaving made the commitment to only travel on origin trips when we were buying serious volume - so that we could make the effort of hosting us be duly matched with the buying firepower we could bring to bear - we had always planned that Ethiopia would be one of our first trips out.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eIt's just so happened that this year has coincided with a down-cycle crop and extremely limited availabilities of coffee, where the best lots went to those who cupped at origin - we wish we could say we planned it like this, but it was a lucky break, we just wanted to come say hey and cup with our key partners.  As a result of the trip, we've committed early and secured one of the most exciting slates of coffees we've yet sourced, and we're stoked for the rest of the season. We will (soon) get to writing in full about the latest harvest - in particular, why we expect to see many more naturals and special preps, and why there's a particular \u003cspan class=\"eujQNb\"\u003epaucity \u003c\/span\u003eof washed coffees - as the season has ended and things have moved into export, we need to get the final pieces of research and discussion done to be able to provide the full narrative arc.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBette Buna:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe first Bette Buna (“House of Coffee”)  farm was founded in 2019, after Dawit inherited his grandfather’s coffee farm in Sidama. Dawit’s grandfather was a respected community leader, and with that in mind Hester and Dawit set out to create a sustainable, community led future for coffee farming in Ethiopia. They intend to achieve this by producing higher quality coffees, with collaboration and community development intimately linked to this. The funds from fair pricing and export help pay for community education and increased living standards, with living incomes a pillar of the Bette Buna mission.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDawit and Hester have been purchasing the farms immediately abutting the Taferi Kela farm, adopting a high standard for purchasing (a minimum price for the land, alongside paying out 2 years of future production profits for the land at the point of sale), alongside offering the farmers employment at Taferi Kela. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBy acting as a vertically integrated supply chain and increasing the export value of the centrally processed coffees, this both increases the income of the farmers turned employees beyond what selling their cherry to a station might have done, and socialises the profits whilst removing personal risk. Bette Buna have also established a nursery at Taferi Kela, distributing both improved JARC cultivars (higher yielding and more disease resistant) as well as shade trees and staple food crops, providing stable and consistent year round employment to the local community. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe impact of this nursery in terms of livelihood for subsistence farming cannot be understated, and the return to agro-forestry by increased shade tree planting is a positive move on a warming planet, and the distribution is directly tied to agronomic training workshops that help further increase yield and quality (and income) to boot. \u003cbr\u003eThe work to establish more shade trees is hand-in-hand with a rewilding project to increase the native forest cover in the immediate area around Taferi Kela, and we expect to see this region increasingly start to get prestige off the back of their work.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDawit and Hester’s second farm (the farm this lot hails from)  is located in Guji, a region that has become famed for the particular quality of the natural process coffees produced here. Coffees from Guji are deeply fruity and berrylike, something we particularly enjoyed as a contrast when compared to the tarter citrus and white flower cups that you might find in Yirgacheffe or Sidama coffees. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe provenance of Ethiopian coffee regions is really not unlike that of the different wine regions in France - particular combinations of altitude, microclimate and the local predominance of local landraces vs locally improved cultivar plantings (akin in effect to the different varieties of grapes you might find in the wine regions) shift the cup profile. Fruit flavours are a real highlight of Ethiopian coffee - from the lower grade lots that intermingle with chocolate and spice notes, to the highest grades that are so outrageously sweet, bright and floral that prior to high technical intervention coffee used to be the main gateway into discovering speciality coffee. We think that Ethiopia is such an under-valued origin - the same cup profile from a high altitude farm in Central or South America would command a hefty premium.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Megadu farm in Guji is over 220 HA, lead by 3 community leaders (Abbaa Gadaa). Of this 220 HA, Bette Buna manages a quarter, acting as a pilot project for many of the community lead initiatives Hester and Dawit run. The processing station, located centrally in the farm, allows high value return processing (such as anoxic fermentation and extended ferments) alongside well executed classic processing, and crucially drying. Both farms produce their own coffee for production, but also purchase cherry from local smallholders for onwards processing. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Scenery Coffee","offers":[{"title":"100g Wholebean","offer_id":56822064349564,"sku":"MGDLCTNAT100","price":15.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"200g Wholebean","offer_id":56822064382332,"sku":"MGDLCTNAT200","price":28.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"500g Wholebean","offer_id":56822064415100,"sku":"MGDLCTNAT500","price":67.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0779\/1961\/7334\/files\/ethiopia_megadu_lacto_natural_shopify.png?v=1781272739","url":"https:\/\/scenery.coffee\/products\/ethiopia-megadu-lacto-natural-lot-d-25-26","provider":"Scenery Coffee","version":"1.0","type":"link"}