Ethiopia Boku Espresso

Esayas Beriso’s journey into specialty coffee began as a side venture while working in local government. After years of collecting cherries with his brothers, he fully committed to cultivation in 2009, establishing a farm in the Hambela Wamena district at a staggering 2,350 meters above sea level. Today, alongside his wife Meskerem — who expertly manages harvest operations and cherry purchasing from neighboring smallholders — they focus entirely on the highly sought-after 74158 local variety. Since 2017, the family has partnered with SNAP Specialty Coffee. This collaboration champions environmental sustainability and community empowerment, providing crucial agricultural training, eco-friendly inputs, and soil conservation techniques to thousands of local farmers while consistently elevating regional cup quality.

To honor their high-altitude harvest, Esayas and Meskerem employ a meticulous, highly controlled natural process. Following a rigorous hand-picking phase, the cherries are carefully sorted to ensure only flawlessly ripe fruit advances. The coffee is then laid on raised beds to slowly dehydrate in the sun. Over the course of 7 to 10 days, the cherries are turned frequently by hand to guarantee perfectly even drying. The team strictly covers the beds during peak midday heat and at night to protect the beans’ cellular structure, a highly attentive curing period that results in an exceptionally clean, structurally flawless Ethiopian natural.