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Macky-Mac

macrumors 68040
May 18, 2004
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Especially at this tme of year. Quelle horreur.

I'm down to my last handful in the current packet, but - a few days before Christmas, when stocking up on coffee in a local coffee shop, I (belatedly) remembered to add filters to my purchase.

I use the Hario V60 03 size filter (yes I like an extra large mug of coffee in the morning) and that size is a little difficult to find, so I buy 3 packages at a time and buy again when I open the last package
 
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macrumors Haswell
Jul 29, 2008
64,147
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In a coffee shop.
I use the Hario V60 03 size filter (yes I like an extra large mug of coffee in the morning) and that size is a little difficult to find, so I buy 3 packages at a time and buy again when I open the last package
Ah.

Well, I use the V60 02 size on my Hario V60 dripper, which meets my coffee needs perfectly.

(Yes, I can well imagine that the mug the 03 has been designed for, must be exceedingly large); very sensible to buy again the minute that you open the last package; that way, you'll ensure that you never run out.
I just used a Hario V60 as well.

Ethiopia Bensa, black. Yummm…..
Ethiopian Bensa; sounds amazing; what is it like - tasting notes, texture, aroma, mouthfeel - as I have never come across it?
 

Macky-Mac

macrumors 68040
May 18, 2004
3,532
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Fair enough.

I'm no judge, to be honest, of cup or mug size, as this is not a size of filter paper that I have ever seen used.

it all started when I received the larger mug as a Christmas present......at the time I was using the standard Hario V60 02 dripper and since the new mug is made of clear glass, every day I got to see a partially filled morning mug of coffee, which is a less than cheerful sight to start the day.

Then early in 2022 I was loaned a couple of immersion drippers to try, one of which was large enough to make coffee for two people instead of the typical one cup sized dripper.

It didn't take long for me to realize that I preferred seeing a full mug of nice hot coffee instead of a partially full mug.

Today's coffee is from El Salvador
 

Abstract

macrumors Penryn
Dec 27, 2002
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Ethiopian Bensa; sounds amazing; what is it like - tasting notes, texture, aroma, mouthfeel - as I have never come across it?

LOL, I'm not one for describing the taste of coffee. It's a medium roasted, naturally processed bean.

I'd say it’s sweet, tastes of blueberry. A bit of chocolate, but not as much as other Ethiopians I have. The other Ethiopians I usually have are all washed, while this is naturally processed/dried. It’s certainly different from Sidamo or Yirga, but I don’t know how much I’d attribute to it being a different varietal, and how much to it being naturally processed.

I like this for black filtered, though.
 
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macrumors Haswell
Jul 29, 2008
64,147
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In a coffee shop.
LOL, I'm not one for describing the taste of coffee. It's a medium roasted, naturally processed bean.

I'd say it’s sweet, tastes of blueberry. A bit of chocolate, but not as much as other Ethiopians I have. The other Ethiopians I usually have are all washed, while this is naturally processed/dried. It’s certainly different from Sidamo or Yirga, but I don’t know how much I’d attribute to it being a different varietal, and how much to it being naturally processed.
Okay: I realise that this is an imprecise sensation, and that the vocabulary we have does not quite capture it, let alone describe this, in any way accurately.

However, three things - which may give some sense of where I am coming from.

1: I love Ethiopian coffee (see, signature.....and endless posts on the topic).

2: One of the things (sensations?) I love most about Ethiopian coffee is what I would (attempt to) describe as that "clean, bright" note (tasting note), a clean, clear, "bright" - and yes, somewhat sweet and smooth - taste and sensation. You don't - as a rule - find this "clean, bright" sensation with other coffees.

3: Now, even within Ethiopian coffee - and this, really, is why I asked in my post how this coffee 'tasted' - is, that I have noticed that there is a (sometimes quite striking) difference between "washed" coffees and "naturally processed" ones, and that this is also something that I have noticed with Ethiopian coffee.

Traditionally, they have used the "natural" method, in Ethiopia, a method which - because it is both time consuming and labour intensive - and, yes, this is the oldest processing method - (and - from what I gather - this method is gradually being superseded by the "washed" method, the more modern method, even in Ethiopia), but I have come to realise that I really like - above all - naturally processed Ethiopian coffees.

Anyway, you mentioned naturally processed coffee, and that, really was the answer I had been hoping to find.
 

Abstract

macrumors Penryn
Dec 27, 2002
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Ethiopians I’ve had that (I recall) were naturally processed are from Bensa and Harrar, and I rarely buy Harrar. I’m fairly certain the rest (Yirga, Sidamo, can’t think of any others) have all been washed.

Truth be told, my favourite coffees for filter have mostly been lightly roasted, and washed. Single origin, or a blend. I get that some people like naturally processed, but it’s not really a “better” method, just different.

Also, Ethiopian coffees can be different enough from each other that you may not be able to tell they’re from the same country. Even a Kenyan may taste like an Ethiopian. Geographically it makes sense LOL.
 
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Macky-Mac

macrumors 68040
May 18, 2004
3,532
2,588
Ethiopians I’ve had that (I recall) were naturally processed are from Bensa and Harrar, and I rarely buy Harrar. I’m fairly certain the rest (Yirga, Sidamo, can’t think of any others) have all been natural.

Truth be told, my favourite coffees for filter have mostly been lightly roasted, and washed. Single origin, or a blend. I get that some people like naturally processed, but it’s not really a “better” method, just different.

Also, Ethiopian coffees can be different enough from each other that you may not be able to tell they’re from the same country. Even a Kenyan may taste like an Ethiopian. Geographically it makes sense LOL.

wikipedia says;

Bensa is one of the woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Sidama Zone that extends into the Oromia Region like a peninsula, Bensa is bordered on the south and north by the Oromia Region, with Bona Zuria on the west, Arbegona on the northwest, Chere on the east, and Aroresa on the southeast. The major town in Bensa is Daye....

OMG....Benza is a woredas!

And beyond that, it's an area within the Sidama (aka Sidamo) region.

My favorite Ethiopian coffee is from within the Sidamo region, but I don't know from where, and I gather the topography is quite varied resulting in several growing zones.

I've never had Harrar coffee tho, and having heard very positive things about it, would like to try some
 
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Abstract

macrumors Penryn
Dec 27, 2002
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Sidamo/Sidama is easy to find on the markets.

Harrar/Harar is meant to be harder to source due to its dependence on climate, and so their yield varies widely. Harrar is north, and Sidamo is in the south (along with Oromia, Limu, and probably others) so they’re definitely a different flavour and climate than Harrar.
 
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