Home Roasting: Ethiopia Sidama Bensa Damo Washed G1 Coffee Beans

This batch of kitchen craft home roasting features single-origin green coffee beans from Ethiopia: Ethiopia Sidama Bensa Damo Washed G1.

The vendor’s sensory profile claimed: “Intense sweet orange citrus fragrance, opening with bright notes of mandarin, red berries, and yellow lemon, accompanied by a silky clove-butter mouthfeel, balanced body, and persistent sweetness.”

As per routine, I ordered a small 500-gram bag to split into two separate roasting batches. Dividing the greens allows testing different roast profiles while preserving peak freshness and observing changes over the degassing resting phase.

Given the bean’s washed processing and floral-fruity pedigree, the initial roast was pulled mid-first crack (at approximately 1 minute and 30 seconds into the crack).

Upon cupping and pour-over extraction, however, neither the freshly ground dry aroma nor the brewed liquid displayed prominent aromatic projection. The flavor profile skewed toward mild acidity, but distinctive stone-fruit or citrus notes were subdued, leaving an overall cup that tasted relatively flat and watery.

While not outright unpleasant, and smooth enough for daily casual sipping, it lacked the vibrant sparkle that compels a repurchase. It is certainly not a bean I would enthusiastically recommend to fellow coffee enthusiasts.

Once this first batch is depleted, the second roast will be pushed deeper—perhaps right up to or slightly past second crack—to observe whether caramelization unlocks hidden depth or alters its sensory balance.