Ethiopia Washed Yirgacheffe Gedeb Worka Sakaro

High on the edge of the Gedeo plateau, where the land climbs past 2,000 meters, sits the Worka Sakaro washing station. Here in the Gedeb district of Yirgacheffe, 410 smallholder farmers deliver cherry from plots that often measure a single hectare. We selected this lot for its clarity and lift.

OriginEthiopia RegionYirgacheffe, Gedeb Elevation2,000m ProcessWashed VarietyEthiopian Heirloom The Source

Gedeb, on the Gedeo Plateau

Ethiopia is the birthplace of arabica, and Yirgacheffe is its most celebrated address. Within it, Gedeb has earned its own reputation for washed coffees that taste bright, floral, and refined. The combination of deep volcanic soil, steady highland rainfall, and cool mountain nights at this altitude slows cherry maturation, concentrating sugars and the delicate aromatics Yirgacheffe is known for.

The Worka Sakaro station was founded in 2011 by Mijane Woresa, a coffee man with three decades in the trade, and is run today with his family. The 410 farmers who supply it tend small plots scattered across the surrounding hillsides, hand-picking only ripe cherry. That patchwork of family farms, pooled and processed with care, gives this coffee its consistency and character.

The Craft

Washed, Then Dried Slow

The work at the station follows the classic Yirgacheffe washed method. Ripe cherry is hand-sorted and floated to remove defects, then depulped and fermented for roughly 48 hours. The parchment is washed and graded again in channels before moving to raised beds, where it dries for 12 to 15 days under regular turning. This washed process strips away the fruit early, letting the bean's inherent floral and citrus character lead.

We roast this coffee to City+, a medium-light level that protects the lemongrass top notes and keeps the cup transparent. Push it darker and the delicacy that makes Gedeb worth seeking out gets buried, so we hold the roast back and let origin speak.

Lemongrass Raspberry Peach Jasmine BodyLight AcidityBright The Cup

Bright, Floral, Layered

The cup opens with lemongrass and a soft floral lift of jasmine, then settles into stone fruit. Peach and ripe raspberry carry the sweetness, with an acidity that reads above average and clean rather than sharp. The body is light and tea-like, the finish long and citric.

It rewards a careful brew. As the cup cools, the fruit deepens and the floral notes round out, a quiet reminder of the elevation and slow drying behind it.

Find Your Fix

This is a pour-over coffee at heart. A Chemex or V60 frames the brightness and floral detail best, while a clean drip setup keeps it honest for everyday cups. Aeropress works for a more concentrated take. Browse our coffee beans and find your fix.

Roasted in small batches at our Virginia Beach roastery.

Packaged in reusable glass mason jars, returned locally for reuse. Solar-roasted.

Virginia Beach, VA