Day 4: Brio - Ethiopia Worka Sakaro Natural
Brio Coffee Works
About the Beans
| Coffee: | Ethiopia Worka Sakaro Natural |
|---|---|
| Roaster: | Brio Coffee Works |
| Location: | Burlington, VT |
| Instagram: | @briocoffeeworks |
| Region: | Gedeb District, Gedeo Zone, Ethiopia |
| Producers: | Smallholder Farmers |
| Cultivator: | Dega, Kurame, Walisho |
| Elevation: | 1995 m |
| Process: | Natural |
| Tasting Notes: | Blueberry Jam, Kiwi, Butterscotch |
| Price: | $22.00/12oz |
From Brio Coffee Works:
In the Cup
We are absolutely loving this beautiful natural process coffee from Yirgacheffe. Think blueberry jam meets kiwi brightness, with a smooth butterscotch sweetness tying it all together. This coffee is fruity and complex, with a lively acidity that keeps things sparkling and interesting but never overwhelming. Delicious as an iced coffee, or as a fruit-forward, single-origin espresso.
Origin
This lot comes from the Worka Sakaro washing station in Gedeb, Yirgacheffe — one of the most celebrated regions in Ethiopia for expressive, fruit-forward coffees. Sitting at nearly 2,000 meters above sea level, the station has 12 washing tanks and 171 raised beds, and a few hectares of its own plantings in the village of Worka Chelbiesa.
Producer
Worka Sakaro brings together smallholder farmers in Gedeb, most cultivating tiny plots often less than a hectare. They grow heirloom varieties like Dega, Kurume, and Wolisho, passing down farming knowledge through generations. After delivery, ripe cherries are hand-sorted, with the best lots sun-dried on raised beds for about 21 days. Once the ideal moisture level is reached, the coffee is milled and prepared for export. The producers’ care, combined with the station’s meticulous processing, results in a coffee that shows off everything we love about coffees from this region - bright, sweet, and full of personality.
The Story
I’m pretty sure I found out about Brio in May of 2022. I was heading north to take a class at Sterling College that ended up being the beginning of Zack’s Packs (story for another time). Anyway, on my way up, I stopped at a friends place in Stowe. I visited the Vermont Artisan Coffee. One of the baristas actually used to be a coworker way back in California days, so I hung out. I talked about how I really liked fruity flavors in my coffee, and the staff recommended I check out Brio. I was intrigued, and was actually able to find it at a local store while I was up at the class. It turned out that one of my classmates that weekend knew the founders.
For the longest time, I would always get the name mixed up in my head and could never find them. I kept on looking for Bliss coffee. Anyway, glad I found them, glad they responded and I’m super excited to have them in this years box!
Reviews
Mike
Seth
The beans smell very familiar to me. I think it’s that it’s a Yirgacheffe and I’m never disappointed when I find one
On Zack’s recommendation from the website, I went slightly courser (30 of 40 vs my usual 32-33) and despite that it’s been a surprisingly slow pour. I reverted to the Blue Bottle 5-stage pour instead of my usual 2-stage based on James Hoffman’s ultimate pour over.
Ah yes, this coffee does something I’m always surprised about when it happens: when freshly brewed it has a strange acrid bitterness that really puts me off. I have learned that this is temporary and once it cools a bit I’ll usually have a delightful surprise waiting. Now waiting…
Hmm, this is interesting, the coffee has cooled to drinking temp and the acrid note has gone but it tastes like a medium to dark roast. Some bitterness persists but not in a bad way, however I’m not getting any of the bright blueberry mentioned in the description.
Further cooling it has mellowed out more. The bitterness is basically gone but now it has muddiness
I was very excited for this bean, bummed how it turned out
Zack’s Thoughts
Honestly, it has a familiar taste of Ethipia Worka for me. Several years ago I was stuck on a Brandywine Ethiopia Worka and this coffee brings me back. It’s got taste, and is more subtle than the last two days for me. Less punch in the face and more enjoy on the tongue. I don’t know if it is that I had the espresso before the macchiato, but the espresso didn’t give me any chocolate and somehow the milk does. It’s a really strong contrast between the two.
update: I did a second cup as an iced americano. I adjusted my ground size a bit and got a shorter pull and it is a significant improvement. This shot may benefit from a slightly coarser grind size.