It is interesting how from the same region within a region you can get two completely different coffees. Everybody is getting their yirgs right now and I decided to reveiw the 2 closest to me, Peet's Ethiopian Super Natural and Terrior's Addis Ketema Cooprative. I'll spare the over-romantic description of the Super Natural, but mention they did have this coffee last year. It was in their African blend. The Terrior website has alot more useful info and not as much fluff, so take a look yourself for their description. Ok, I'll get right into this, and keep in mind I am really trying hard to be objective.
Peet's Ethiopian Super Natural:
Appearance- Dark brown, almost Black. Quite nice looking beans, not a typical heavy ferment look.
Aroma dry- (If I must call it aroma and not odor) Artificial blueberry smell, think candy or something to that effect. Incredibly awful burnt roast smell, mixed with some traces of other ferment funk.
Taste- Not as bad as the aroma might indicate. The roast covers most taste in the coffee good and bad. It has that awful ferment artifcial blueberry taste and a heavy roasty taste like all of Peet's offerings. Pleasant acidity though.
Terrior's Addis Ketema Cooperative:
Appearance- Small hard beans, lots of silverskin, roast a bit uneven looking.
Aroma dry- Like ginger and whole wheat toast. Traces of Acidity even in the dry unground beans.
Taste- Ginger, apricot, nice strong acidity, tea aroma, although not as interesting as last years.
Summary: I will be honest, I wasn't as blown away with Terrior's yirg as I was the last 2 years. I love the ginger but the tea aroma is not as perfumey. Keep in mind this is the drip we are talking about, not the espresso. The espresso, when done right is, unbelivable. The Super Natural is nothing super. It seems to be a bit higher quality than some of the other blueberry ferment coffees I have had and the roast, while giving it a burnt taste, hides alot of the off flavors. As a customer at Peets said to me, "It tastes like burnt blueberry pie". I wouldn't give it that much credit.
Tell me your opinion,
Silas
