Sey Coffee gave us some pointers on how to brew their exquisitely fragrant Ethiopian microlot: Harbegona. It’s a little different from our typical pour-over recipe—using an 18:1 water-to-coffee ratio, a higher water temperature, and a finer grind size—to really push the extraction from this delicate coffee.
Harbegona has become a byword for Ethiopian coffee excellence. The washing station works with legendary exporter Heleanna Georgalis to assemble their top-scoring lots, and combined with Sey’s delicate Nordic roasting style, it’s a beautiful showcase of the Bensa region. Super-fragrant and aromatic, it’s popping with florals and stone fruit. We tasted jasmine, peach, and spiced honey, with a sparkling acidity, silky body, and a strikingly clean finish.
Harbegona
🌍 Origin: Sidama, Ethiopia
💦 Process: Washed
🔬 Varietal: Ethiopian Landrace
⛰ Elevation: 2,300 MASL
Brew Recipe for Pour-Over
Ingredients:
18g of Harbegona by Sey Coffee to make 325g of coffee.
325g of water
Step
1. Measure and grind coffee
Measure out 18g of coffee beans and grind them fine. We used setting 3.1 on Ode with Gen 2 Burrs, which is about 2 on Ode with Gen 1 Burrs, or setting 4.1 on Ode with SSP Burrs.
2. Heat water and rinse filter
Heat water to 210°F and rinse your filter before putting your coffee grounds in.
3. Pour 36g for the bloom
Fully saturate your coffee grounds with twice as much water as coffee, and allow about 35 seconds for the bloom.
4. Pour in stages
After the bloom, pour to 125g, then 225g, and finishing at 325g. The total brew time should be about 4:30 mins.
This coffee is excellent to experiment with and push extraction from, especially as it gets further off-roast: try agitating it while you brew, grind it a little finer, and enjoy it at different temperatures!