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While all coffee aficionados agree that coffee beans are exquisite, roasting and drinking Ethiopian coffee beans would not have spread around the globe for centuries.

Ethiopia is the origin of coffee and it’s revered for its coffee beans. The country produces among the best single-origin coffee in the world. Since Ethiopia is the source of coffee, it makes sense that the country offers the most authentic and eclectic coffee beans on the market.

Bestseller No. 1
Fresh Roasted Coffee, Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Kochere, 2 lb (32 oz), Medium Roast, Kosher, Whole Bean
  • ETHIOPIAN YIRGACHEFFE KOCHERE COFFEE Is A Well Balanced, Mild African Coffee With Notes Of Lemon And Honey. A Brilliant Choice For Any Coffee Lover.
  • SINGLE-ORIGIN FROM KOCHERE, ETHIOPIA. Medium Roast. Heirloom Varietal. Wash Processed & Sun Dried.
  • ALL FRESH ROASTED COFFEE IS Kosher Certified, Sustainably Sourced and Proudly Roasted, Blended, and Packaged in USA.
  • ALL OUR COFFEES ARE ROASTED  in Our Environmentally Friendly Loring Roaster to Reduce Our Carbon Footprint.
  • AVAILABLE IN WHOLE BEAN AS 12 OZ, 2 LB, and 5 LB Bags.
Bestseller No. 2
Fresh Roasted Coffee, Dark Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Kochere, 2 lb (32 oz), Dark Roast, Kosher, Whole Bean
  • A DARKER AND BOLDER TAKE ON OUR TRADITIONAL Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Coffee. An Exceptional Choice For Any Dark Roast Coffee Lover.
  • SINGLE-ORIGIN FROM KOCHERE, ETHIOPIA. Dark Roast. X-tra Bold Body. Heirloom Varietal. Wash Processed & Sun Dried.
  • ALL FRESH ROASTED COFFEE IS Kosher Certified, Sustainably Sourced and Proudly Roasted, Blended, and Packaged in USA.
  • ALL OUR COFFEES ARE ROASTED  in Our Environmentally Friendly Loring Roaster to Reduce Our Carbon Footprint.
  • AVAILABLE IN WHOLE BEAN AS 12 OZ, 2 LB, and 5 LB Bags.
Bestseller No. 3
Ethiopian Coffee, Yirgacheffe Region, USDA Organic, Whole Bean, Fresh Roasted, 16-ounce
  • 100% Pure Ethiopian Coffee Beans - Yirgacheffe, Medium-bodied and brilliantly acidy with rough, fruity or winy tones. Thick body and an earthy aroma coupled with lemon, blueberry and blackberry notes.
  • USDA Organic, Medium/Light Roast whole beans allowing the true flavor characteristic to come through for a remarkable taste.
  • Fresh roasted then immediately packed and sealed to assure freshness.
  • 100% Customer Satisfaction Guaranteed.

Last update on 2023-05-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

To date, Ethiopia is documented as the source of the Arabica coffee beans. Besides, it produces one of the naturally grown and most authentic coffees across the world.

Also, the environment is ideal for producing amazing coffee, and nothing needs to be added to it. Ethiopia has been growing coffee for centuries, primarily in the Southwestern Highlands. As such the word coffee was derived from Kaffa, located in South-Western Ethiopia, where the coffee plant was first discovered

Ethiopia: The Origin Of Coffee

According to legend, an Ethiopian goat herder by the name of Kaldi discovered the coffee plant and its great benefits around 850 AD. It’s said that he noticed that his goats would act weirdly after eating the red coffee fruit and that they would dance wildly. These “magic” red beans fascinated him that he took them home.

However, after Kaldi brought the magic beans to a monk, his peers considered the plant as a sorcery. When the Ethiopian coffee beans started roasting the entire room filled with the aromas of freshly roasted beans.

From the days of Kaldi, the goat herder, coffee has grown to be an important part of the Ethiopian culture and they even spend hours taking it.

As such, Ethiopians have adopted a coffee ceremony which is the most crucial social connection among them. Also, being invited to this ceremony is a great honor and a sign of friendship.

Flavor Overview

Generally, Ethiopian Coffees are heavy or full-bodied with different flavor notes that range from earthy to brilliant acidity, or winey notes. Even then, most people go for Ethiopian coffees as they range from mild to the boldest coffee brews available. This ensures that there’s something for diifferent preferences for all coffee lovers.

9 Best Ethiopian Coffee Beans of 2021

1. Fresh Roasted Ethiopian Natural coffee, Sidamo

Last update on 2023-05-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

These Sidamo Fresh Roasted  Ethiopian coffee beans are an example of a great and straightforward brew. They offer you an earthy flavor with berry-like undertones. It’s best taken via a cold brew or pour-over coffee.

The Fresh Roasted Sidamo beans give you a creamy feel with an earthy tone that is balanced through a berry-like sweetness. This product is light and has pleasant acidity.

Similar to the Yirgacheffe, the Sidamo beans are fair trade and USDA organic certified. Plus they offer you a striking Ethiopian experience.

Pros
  • Creamy feel
  • Pleasant acidity
  • Fair trade and USDA certified
  • Earthy berry-like undertones
Cons
  • No roast date

2. Volcanica’s Ethiopian Coffee

Last update on 2023-05-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Volcanica’s Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Coffee bean is among the best coffee on the market.

Most of this product is collected from wild coffee trees found in the Yirgacheffe area of Ethiopia. The rest of the coffee is estate sourced, meaning that it is gathered from a single estate or farm. It comes with delicious floral and fruity tones of guava, ripe strawberry, lavender, pineapple, and dark chocolate.

Plus it offers strong flavors that are noticeable. This brand freshly roasts its product then ships it immediately.

Unfortunately, this particular range of Volcanica coffee does not include official fair-trade or organic seals. Even then, most of the beans are produced from wild trees, which means there won’t be much, if any, pesticide and chemical residue. Although it’s not officially Fair Trade, however, the coffee comes from a single estate in Ethiopia.

Pros
  • Strong flavor
  • Collected from wild coffee plants
  • Flavor notes include guava, ripe strawberry, lavender, pineapple, and dark chocolate
  • Same day roasting and shipping
  • Single estate coffee
Cons
  • Lacks official fair-trade or organic seals

3. HEB Cafe Ole Whole Bean Coffee Medium Dark Roast

Last update on 2023-05-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

HEB focuses on freshness when selling their Ethiopian coffee beans HEB dark roast. They deliberately stock on low, and their roasters order just enough beans to meet demand. This decreases the time from roasting and brewing.

Also, it meets the key requirements of Fair Trade and organic production credentials. As such the HEB brand is well-reputed for offering its support to small-scale farmers. They ensure that everyone is rewarded well for producing great coffee.

When it concerns the beans, they include an extraordinary aroma to tell you right away that you’ll get an excellent cup of coffee. This small batch of roasted 100 percent Arabica beans come from small farmers. Plus the manufacturer focuses on transparency. 

The HEB brew offers you a rich body with strong notes.

Pros
  • Has fair-trade and organic certification
  • Extraordinary aromas
  • Bright flavor without overwhelming acidity
Cons
  • Experience may be needed if you choose to get green unroasted beans

4. Cooper’s Ethiopian Whole Bean Coffee

Ethiopian Bright Light Roast Grade 1, Whole Bean Coffee, Natural Dry Processed Origin, Intense Bright & Bold Coffee Beans, Gourmet Coffee - 12 oz Bag

Last update on 2023-05-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

If you rather have pre-ground coffee, then Cooper’s Ethiopian Coffee Light Roast offers that as well. The products come in four grind sizes (drip, French press, Turkish, and espresso), in addition to the whole bean.

What’s more, Cooper’s Ethiopian coffee is unique since it provides Farm Gate beans. That means that the coffee is sourced directly from the farmer’s “gate.” Doing so ensures that you’re supporting Ethiopian coffee farmers. Also, this single-origin and micro-lot coffee means that the coffee beans are sourced from one specific farm or field in Ethiopia.

Also, if you want to enjoy one flavor profile and continue enjoying it, then getting the micro-lot and single-origin coffee may be the best option. Cooper’s whole bean coffee has citrusy-floral tones of floral nectar, lemon tart, and raw honey.

Cooper’s Ethiopian coffee doesn’t offer any guarantee that the coffee beans were roasted promptly. Plus, the package doesn’t have a roast date showing when they got roasted. However, these beans are Fair Trade and Organic certified.

Pros
  • Organic and Fair Trade Farm Gate beans
  • Flavor notes include raw honey, lemon tart, and floral nectar
  • Comes in four grind sizes or whole bean
  • Single-origin and small-batch micro-lot roasting
Cons
  • Maybe less fresh
  • Lacks roast date

5. Fresh Roasted Ethiopian Coffee, Yirgacheffe

Fresh Roasted Coffee, Organic Ethiopian Yirgacheffe,2 lb (32 oz), Medium Roast, Fair Trade Kosher, Whole Bean

Last update on 2023-05-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Fresh Roasted Yirgacheffe Ethiopian Whole Coffee Bean is Fair Trade and USDA Organic Certified. Also, it has single origins from the Yirgacheffe region in Ethiopia. And that gives it the predictable flavor profile of lime, sweet tangerine, and lemon tea.

The manufacturer also freshly roasts the Ethiopian coffee beans and instantly ships them to you. Its medium roast is perfect for an extensive variety of tastes.

Fresh Roasted Yirgacheffe coffee works great for citrus lovers. It offers bright lemon notes with a touch of lemon tea too. This product is Kosher certified, with a medium roast. Additionally, it follows the set Fair Trade and organic rules.

What’s more, during the roasting process, additional environmental efforts are also considered. Again, if you don’t own a good coffee grinder at home, this coffee product comes as ground coffee in addition to the whole coffee bean varieties.

The Fresh roasted coffee product has a pretty good quality. Besides, there are many citrus notes you can discover when using this coffee brand. While it leans more on the dry side, the lemon tea flavor is rather seductive.

Pros
  • Fair Trade Certified
  • USDA Organic
  • Predictable flavor
  • Flavor notes include lime, lemon tea, and sweet tangerine
  • Freshly roasted and shipped immediately
Cons
  • Without a roast date
  • Can have a citrusy and little sour taste

6. Cubico’s Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Coffee

Last update on 2023-05-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Another good pick for you if you prefer the handiness of ground coffee or it could be that you don’t have a grinder is Cubico’s Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Coffee.

This company is clear on their source of Ethiopian coffee beans: in Yirgacheffe, from a family-owned farm that uses organic farming. Cubico’s coffee is a single-origin as opposed to a blend. Also, it’s freshly roasted before shipping to the consumer. Besides, all the coffee bags have a roast date.

Although according to Cubico, the family farm that grows the coffee beans uses organic farming methods, there’s no official Organic certification from USDA. Plus it’s not certified by Fair Trade.

Due to being ground, the coffee will go stale rather quickly. Therefore, ensure that you keep it in air-tight containers. Cubico’s coffee also appears to have unpredictable quality and often has a sour aftertaste.

Pros
  • Single-origin and organic coffee
  • Flavor notes include chocolate, lime, and floral
  • Has a roast date
  • Freshly roasted and shipped immediately
Cons
  • Unpredictable quality
  • Doesn’t have official organic and fair-trade seals
  • Since its ground, it goes stale quickly

7. Equal Exchange’s Ethiopian Organic Whole Bean Coffee

Last update on 2023-05-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Equal Exchange is responsible for bringing to the U.S the Fair Trade policy alongside small coffee farmers. Therefore, the company is known to be highly ethical.

Plus, all its Ethiopian range of whole coffee beans has been certified by Fair Trade and USDA Organic. This product gives you flavor notes of ginger, blueberry, and chocolate.

Even though the company has ethical status, the coffee comes with an unpredictable quality. Again, the packaging does not include information about when the Ethiopian coffee beans were roasted.

Also, they don’t have roast dates displayed on the bags. Besides, the company doesn’t exclusively name where the beans were sourced from, other than they come from Ethiopia. What’s more, the coffee has a darker roast than usual, because the chart provided makes it appear to lie somewhere between a medium and light roast.

Pros
  • Highly ethical company
  • Certified by both Fair Trade and USDA Organic
  • Flavor notes include chocolate, ginger, and blueberry
Cons
  • Without roast dates on packaging
  • Unpredictable quality

8. Ethiopian Queen City Harrar Grade 4 Coffee Beans

Last update on 2023-05-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

The Queen City Grade 4 Harrar coffee is grown in Ethiopia and is dried naturally under the sun. This helps give your cup a spicy, flowery, and fruity yet quite complex. The Harrar coffee is versatile and offers you something across the whole roast spectrum.

First, its aroma will grab your attention with hints of peaches, blueberries, cinnamon, and strawberries. Even then, the taste is openly wild and earthy with great balance. The exceptional fruitiness is present in a great measure, however the lower-tones of earth and chocolate compliment it more compared to other Harar.

The Ethiopian Queen City Harrar comes in 2.5-pound coffee bean bags. It’s roasted a little darker than the medium roast to offer you full floral flavors.

The gentle curing process done through burning the beans under the sun gives them true berry flavors before commercial roasting. This results in an exceptionally flavorful coffee.

RhoadsRoast offers you many options in coffee processing. So, if you want to use a coffee roaster, you should note that the company will send you green, unroasted coffee beans for you to roast.

The company also roasts coffee beans every day and ships the product in the afternoon.

Pros
  • Floral flavourful coffee
  • Medium and darker roasts
  • Same day roasting and shipping
  • Provides green unroasted coffee beans for home roasting
Cons
  • Roasting experience is necessary if you choose to buy green beans

9. Panama Geisha Originates from Ethiopia

Last update on 2023-05-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Panama Geisha is among the most expensive coffees across the globe that have won more prizes ever. In 2019 this product sold for $1029 /pound.

This is genuine Panama coffee that is roasted before it’s shipped on the same day. This is super important as it allows you to experience all the well-known flavor notes. Opt for the whole beans, and roast and brew at home with extreme care. Also, use soft bottled water for the best experience of true coffee brew bliss.

It has intense floral aromas with taste tones of mango, lime, peach, and bergamot. Additionally, this specialty coffee hails from Ethiopia at the Geisha district which is found in Kaffa, in the South Western Zone. It was brought to Panama, thus eventually becoming Panama Geisha. And today, more than 15 countries now grow their version of the Panama Geisha coffee.

Based on this, it’s evident that Ethiopian coffee is the source of coffee itself. Also, the flavors of Ethiopian coffee beans are an appreciation of the rich history of coffee and how far it’s spread over the years.

Pros
  • Rich tastes
  • Freshly roasted and shipped same day
  • Strong flavor
  • Flavor tone; mango, lime, bergamot, peach
Cons
  • Expensive

Benefits of Drinking Ethiopian Coffee

Here are some benefits you’ll enjoy when taking Ethiopian coffee that you will not get in other coffee varieties.

Flavor

For anyone who has taken Ethiopian coffee, they’ll tell you that it offers flavors like no other. Its taste is unique, and the beans encapsulate the true essence of Ethiopia.

The coffee offers you tea-like and floral that this country is known for. Additionally, even with the light roast, this coffee will still come out sweet with some hints of vanilla.

Coffee Varieties

Thus far, Ethiopia boasts of having between coffees varieties from six to ten thousand, most of which haven’t been classified yet.

As such, if you sip on Ethiopian coffee, you’ll know you’re drinking coffee that originates from among the richest regions. Therefore you’ll experiment with a variety of flavors. 

More Genetics

Once you know the history of coffee from Ethiopia, then you’ll understand why the coffee is unique. Also, as concerns the coffee that grows in other regions of the world, to an extent, the coffee comes from several plants originating from Yemen.

How to Choose the Best Ethiopian Coffee

If compared to the Ethiopian coffee, the other coffees lack the extensive genetic variation that’s only found in coffee plants from Ethiopia. Today, it’s said that more than 90% of the genetic materials of Arabica coffee can be found in Ethiopia.

As you purchase Ethiopian coffee, there are several things that you should look out for. These include:

Fair Trade Certification

Be on the lookout for a Fair Trade certification. This is because it’s an excellent way of making sure that coffee farmers who grow the coffee are taken care of in an ethical way. And this is very important, especially if you consider that most of the coffee grown is sent abroad.

Origin

When shopping for the best Ethiopian coffees, be sure to go for the ones that are sourced from single regions. That’s because these coffees have predictable flavors. This factor is best for people who like trying one flavor and when they like it, they choose to stick with it.

Oftentimes, if a company specifies where they source their coffee beans, then it’s likely that the beans are of high quality.

Roasting Times

Also, when shopping for any Ethiopian coffee beans, be sure to check whether the company has shared whether the beans were freshly roasted. When it’s not indicated, they should share their roasting policy.

How long will the Ethiopian coffee beans last? As concerns coffee, note that the sooner the coffee beans are roasted, the better and fresher your coffee will be. For this reason, you should ensure that the given roasting time falls within two weeks.

Also, it may be helpful if they print the roast day on the bag so you know when the coffee beans were roasted.

Organic

As you shop for Ethiopian coffee, be sure to check for an organic seal on the packaging. The presence of this seal shows that there were no pesticides or synthetic chemicals that were used on the beans.

What’s more, organic coffee has nutrients that help improve its taste. And this is the best way for you to get your money’s worth.

However, some coffee products found on the market are sourced from family farms or wild coffee trees that use organic farming practices. That’s why you should research the company before making a purchase.

Flavors

Mostly, Ethiopian coffee beans have a fruity and floral flavor. However, some varieties have more sour and citrus.

As such, the flavors will depend on the area where the coffee beans were grown. Therefore, be sure to experiment with different coffees to help you identify the one that fits your taste preferences. When you don’t like the coffee flavor, using syrups can help improve the flavor of your coffee.

Why Choose The Best Beans From The Birthplace Of Coffee

When shopping for the best Ethiopian coffee beans, you’ve probably noted that there are numerous choices available today. As such, Ethiopia is a country that takes its coffee seriously. Its natural diversity, rich soils, and amazing variety of flavors make Ethiopia unequaled as the birthplace of coffee.

Whether you opt for the citrusy and crispy Sidamo, or heavy-bodied Harrar, or even the delicately floral Yirgacheffe, one thing is certain. If you want the finest coffee ever, then Ethiopian coffee will offer you just that.

What’s more, Ethiopian coffee bean purchases are an excellent way of supporting small farmers while you enjoy the wonderful and well-flavored coffee brew.

Summary of the 9 Best Ethiopian Coffee Beans 2021

BrandDetails
Fresh Roasted Ethiopian Natural coffee, SidamoPleasant acidityFair trade and USDA certifiedEarthy berry-like undertones
Volcanica’s Ethiopian Coffee, YirgacheffeSingle estate coffeeCollected from wild coffee plantsSame day roasting and shipping
HEB Cafe Ole Whole Bean Coffee Medium Dark RoastFair-trade and organic certification; Bright flavor without overwhelming acidity
Cooper’s Ethiopian Whole Bean CoffeeOrganic and Fair Trade Farm Gate beansComes in four grind sizes or whole beanSingle-origin and small-batch micro-lot roasting
Fresh Roasted Coffee Ethiopian Coffee, YirgacheffeFair Trade and USDA Organic CertifiedPredictable flavorFreshly roasted and shipped immediately
Cubico’s Ethiopia Yirgacheffe CoffeeSingle-origin organic coffeeIncludes roast datesFreshly roasted and shipped immediately
Equal Exchange Ethiopian Organic Whole Bean CoffeeCertified by both Fair Trade and USDA OrganicFlavor notes include chocolate, ginger, and blueberry
Ethiopian Queen City Harrar Grade 4 Coffee BeansFloral flavourful coffeeSame day roasting and shippingProvides green unroasted coffee beans for home roasting
Panama GeishaRich tastesFreshly roasted and shipped same dayStrong flavor

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