Ethiopia: Hambela EA Decaf

Most decaf coffee loses the lively, fruited character that makes single-origin beans worth buying in the first place. This lot from the Boku village in Guji sidesteps that problem through ethyl acetate processing, which pulls out caffeine while leaving more of the naturally occurring oils behind than conventional methods manage.

The result is a cup that drinks like a caffeinated natural-process Ethiopian: bright acidity, layered sweetness, and fruit-forward notes that remind you why this region built its reputation. Expect flavors of baked apple, berry jam, and caramelized sugar, all present in a way that most decaf simply cannot deliver.

Broadsheet roasts this to a light-medium profile, keeping the bean's inherent brightness up front without tipping into sharpness. The Ethiopian heirloom varieties that grow in Guji bring their own genetic complexity, and the natural processing—where cherries dry intact around the seed—amplifies the fruit character before decaffeination even begins.

If you've written off decaf because it usually tastes muted or flat, this is the exception. The EA method, carried out in Germany after the beans leave Ethiopia, is gentler on the compounds that give coffee its dimension. You get a clean cup with structure, not a compromise that tastes like hot water with a coffee memory.

This works beautifully as drip, pour-over, or French press. The fruit notes come through clearest in a pour-over, where the clarity of the roast and the processing both shine. Because the roast stays on the lighter side of medium, you won't want to push extraction too hard—stick to recommended ratios and times, and the sweetness balances the acidity without any harsh edges.