AYEHU is (other than it’s interesting name) an amazing coffee that is definitely out there on it’s own. It’s also the first ever K1 varietal we have ever found / sourced, which is a rare scenario in world of heirloom Ethiopian coffee.

Profile:

AYEHU is very complex and quirky. It’s tropical, in that it shows off some pretty funky fruit notes like pineapple, papaya and mango. It’s also pretty unusual with a very sticky texture and mouthfeel. We found notes of Aperol (yes Aperol) in there and once it starts to cool it gives off lots of wine gum flavour.

For a natural it has a decent balance to it's profile. It's got a very present and acute, but pleasant acidity that adds t it's refreshing tropical feel.

The farm:

AYEHU is a single estate 500 hectare farm situated at 1750 MASL, which is rare for Ethiopia (collectives are more common to make up the numbers). The farm is located in Amhara (Western Gojjam area) - Ethiopia’s rugged North-West. This area is not a profile coffee growing area such as big names like Yirgacheffe or Sidamo, which makes it all the more intriguing.

The process:

It's a natural process coffee, which in this case involved drying slowly in the sun on raised African beds for 18 days, turned periodically to ensure even drying and prevent over-fermentation or mould formation. The result is a rich and intense profile, but not one that is overpowering or boozy.

The Varietal:

Until recently Ethiopian coffee is offered in what is described as 'Native Heirlooms', which is a reference for a potentially 10,000+ native varietals that Ethiopia has growing across it's coffee communities. K1 is actually a varietal normally found in Tanzania or Kenya. It was originally released in Kenya in 1936 after being picked out from the famous French Mission selective program at Scott Labs. The pro's are a varietal that is robust and shows good resistance to leaf rust, which are key considerations in coffee growing these days.

AYEHU

Machina was created by two people looking for their next creative challenge. One, an ex DJ and producer (and coffee nerd) from the music industry, the other, a long time coffee industry professional with a background in training (and an apparent obsession for show singing).

They met through a mutual friend, again through music (a common theme). From here Machina took on it's own momentum, which is an extraordinary story of people, coffee and lots of equipment (that's a lot of equipment...), on a path to becoming a respected speciality coffee roastery.

The business started off as just equipment, but was always working towards one goal - becoming a premium speciality coffee roastery. We just needed to raise funds, and ideally do it without needing to bring in investors who would (no doubt) push us in a direction that we didn't want to go in. We had a vision, and the only way to ensure that actually happened, was to do it ourselves.

AYEHU

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AYEHU