What is Fresh Roasted Coffee Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Kochere?
An approachable Yirgacheffe, and the most fully described coffee in this part of the range.
Fresh Roasted sells this as a medium roast, mild bodied single origin, and the bag prints its notes as lemon, honey and mild. The product page goes further: bright florals with a hint of citrus blossom on the nose, a lemon forward flavour with a mellow, balanced body, mild acidity that it says is lower than most African single origins, and a clean, smooth finish.
It comes from Kochere, a woreda just south of the town of Yirgacheffe in southern Ethiopia, where farmers bring their cherries to communal washing stations. Fresh Roasted gives the altitude as 5,900 to 6,550 feet, 1,798 to 1,996 metres, the process as washed, the harvest as September to December and export as April to July. That is more than it publishes for most of its coffees. The rest of the range is on the Fresh Roasted Coffee roaster page.
Why Yirgacheffe is the Ethiopian people ask for by name
Altitude, heirloom trees and washing are what give it that floral, tea-like character.
Ethiopia is where Arabica comes from, and much of its coffee is grown from local heirloom plants rather than the few cultivated varieties common elsewhere. Yirgacheffe coffees are grown very high, which slows ripening, and are usually washed, which strips the fruit off before drying and leaves a cleaner, more floral cup than the fruit-heavy naturals from the same country. Our guide to Ethiopian coffee covers the regions and the difference between washed and natural.
Fresh Roasted's version leans gentle: mild acidity and a balanced body rather than the sharp, sparkling lemon some Yirgacheffes are known for. If you have found Ethiopian coffee too sour before, that is the reason to try this one.
Roasted to order, and dated on the bag
The strongest thing Fresh Roasted publishes is not a tasting note. It is when the coffee was roasted.
Fresh Roasted Coffee roasts each order after it is placed, on Loring Smart Roasters at its base in central Pennsylvania, then packs and nitrogen flushes the bag straight away. Its shipping policy says coffee leaves one to two days after roasting, and orders placed after noon on a Thursday are roasted on Sunday night and shipped on Monday.
The roast date is printed on a white sticker on the bottom of every bag. It is written as a Julian day, the number of the day in the year, so day 272 is the 29th of September. It takes a second to decode, and the roaster's FAQ has the chart, but it means you can see exactly how old the coffee is, which most supermarket bags will not tell you. A best before date on a supermarket bag says when the seller stops standing behind it, not when it was roasted.
Price, and what a cup costs
The 12 oz bag is two dollars cheaper than the Tarrazu, and the bulk bags match it.
| Bag | Price | Per kilo | Per cup (15 g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 340 g (12 oz) | $14.99 | $44.06 | $0.66 |
| 907 g (2 lb) | $34.99 | $38.57 | $0.58 |
| 2.27 kg (5 lb) | $64.99 | $28.66 | $0.43 |
Shipping is a flat $7.95 on orders under $50 and free above $50 once discounts are taken off, so two 2 lb bags or three 12 oz bags usually clear the threshold.
New to Fresh Roasted Coffee? Our link applies the code COFFEEGURU, which takes 20% off a first order of coffee or tea. It is for new customers only and does not apply to subscriptions.
Fresh Roasted Yirgacheffe vs Intelligentsia Ethiopia Ayla Bombe
A specialty Ethiopian at a specialty price, against an everyday one.
The Intelligentsia Ethiopia Ayla Bombe is also washed, and organic, with notes of lime zest, black cherry and stone fruits, a livelier description than Fresh Roasted's lemon and honey. It costs $24.00 for 12 oz, $62.17 a kilo, against $14.99 and $44.06 here, and it names its washing station where Fresh Roasted names only the district.
The Cooper's Cask Ethiopia Bold Light Roast is the other way to go: a natural process light roast at $18.95, with citrus, floral honey and wild berry. Choose it for fruit, the Intelligentsia for a named lot, and the Fresh Roasted for a gentle, fresh, cheaper everyday Ethiopian.
Other ways to buy it
- Dark Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Kochere, the same coffee roasted darker, $14.99 for 12 oz.
- Organic Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, a separate certified organic lot, $17.99 for 12 oz.
- Single-serve pods, $15.99 for 24, for K-Cup brewers.
- Green beans, $12.99 a pound.
Is it worth it?
Yes. It is a well described Ethiopian at an everyday price.
For $14.99 you get a named district, a published altitude and process, a fresh roast and a date on the bag. The one thing it is not is a showpiece lot: if you want a named washing station and a sharper, more complex cup, pay the extra for a specialty Ethiopian.
Who should buy it (and who should not)
Buy it if
- You want to try Ethiopian coffee without the sharp acidity some are known for.
- You brew pour over or drip and like a clean, floral cup; see our floral coffees.
- You want the details, altitude and process, at an everyday price.
Skip it if
- You want a bright, sparkling Yirgacheffe; this one is described as mild.
- You need organic; buy Fresh Roasted's separate organic Yirgacheffe instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Kochere?
Fresh Roasted places it just south of Yirgacheffe town in southern Ethiopia, about 250 miles southwest of Addis Ababa.
Is Fresh Roasted Yirgacheffe washed or natural?
Washed. Fresh Roasted says the cherries are processed at communal washing stations.
What altitude is it grown at?
5,900 to 6,550 feet, or 1,798 to 1,996 metres, according to Fresh Roasted.
Is it acidic?
Fresh Roasted describes the acidity as mild and lower than most African single origins.
Is it good for cold brew?
Fresh Roasted suggests pour over, drip or cold brew, and sells a coarse grind for cold brew and French press.
