Special Brew: Moka Harrar

Each Monday, we’ll be featuring a different coffee, be it a region or an estate, aimed at opening a wide world of tastes and flavors to your palate. The tastes and aromas of coffee change from region to region and even farm to farm much like wine or tobacco. With so many flavors to choose from, we know you will find something new to discover. Today’s coffee is Ethiopia Moka Harrar.

Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee and a land stepped in history and cultural diversity. East of Addis Ababa lies the Ethiopian province of Harrar. A trade hub for centuries, the city of Harrar Jugol is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Site for its cultural heritage and numerous mosques dating back to the 11th Century. Adding to its repertoire is its unusually delicious dry-processed coffee. In a world where dry-coffee is often shunned, these beans stand out.

A visitor to a coffee farm in Harrar will find many small farms dotted across the hills. Like many coffee producing countries, smaller farmers produce the cherry gathered by co-ops or larger institutions to be processed and sold around the world. Upon closer inspection, the Arabica plants may still be bearing their fruit, though it may appear quite dry. Dry-processing is the norm here and farmers may elect to let the cherry dry on the trees in the warm Ethiopian sun. The best cherries are picked and laid out in the sun, whole, unlike many other coffee producing regions which will extract the bean and prepare it for drying. It was not until the early 1970s that the first wet processing plants arrived and yet dry-processing remains the norm.

Due to this unique method, the Moka Harrar coffees exhibit a “wild” touch with floral aromas, mocha taste, and even a hint of fermentation that has led some to describe it was wine-like. It

 

A fresh coat of paint

As you may have noticed, the Red Barn team has been working hard to develop a new user experience for everyone who enjoys our coffee. We are proud to announce our new Red Barn website. What are some of the features you can now enjoy?

1. Discount Codes – Since coffee, sugar, gas, and just about everything else is expensive these days, we have implemented a discount code system to keep a few extra dollars in your pocket.
2. Improved purchasing features – Pictures of our coffees and a refined interface get you the product you love fast
3. Integrated Shipping – UPS now calculates your shipping price exactly so there is no guess work. Tracking details and order confirmations keep you in the loop.
4. Customer Newsletters and Specials – If you desire, we can keep you up to date with blogs, offerings, and coffee tastings around the area
5. The new blog – We plan to offer you news articles, coffee notes, industry happenings, and details about the greater coffee community. Be sure to update your favorite reader program!