Ethiopia Bona Zuria Red Honey Grade 1

About Ethiopia Bona Zuria Red Honey Grade 1

Arrived mid-June 2026, in grainpro. We were fortunate enough to source this wonderful Red Honey from Sidama that presents more like a clean, fruity Natural. We are still a month or two from the arrival of new (2026/27) Ethiopia Naturals reaching the US, and supplies of decent coffees from the current harvest (2025/26) are scarce. If you can find a good example, pounce on it. That's what we did on your behalf. 

This coffee is from Sidama and the the Gute Station in the Bona Zuria Woreda. Elevations are extreme, with coffee growing at 2,300 to 2,350 meters. This is some of the highest grown coffee on earth. 

This is a delicious, fruity cup. The main varietal is 74158, was developed by the Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC) for disease resistance and superior cup quality. It’s perfectly suited for high-altitude farms and embodies the true potential of Ethiopian coffee genetics. Seeds were obtained from world famous Elida Estate in Panama, owned by the Lamastus family. This is real reversal, given that Geisha seeds, originating from Ethiopia, are the basis of the fame now held by top growers in Panama. 

Red Honey coffee preparation involves removal of the coffee cherry's out skin, but most of the mucilage is allowed remain on the seeds (beans) to ferment. When done properly, as is the case here, fruit flavors penetrate into the coffee and add tons of nuance.

The exporter Alo Coffee is ownerd and operated by Tamiru Tadesse. He was a university teacher and electrical engineer who also worked in coffee, witnessing firsthand the challenges of an industry where quality was often overlooked and producers were struggling. He and his wife Messi, despite deep experience, recognized the frustrations of unfair pricing and undervalued labor lso they began their own venture. In 2020, when Ethiopia held its first-ever Cup of Excellence (CoE) competition, it recognized the achievements of top quallity producers. Tamiru and Messi wanted to prove that Sidama’s finest coffees could stand among the world’s best. In 2021, against all odds, their very first submission which was a meticulously processed lot from their home village of Alo in Bensa won Ethiopia’s Cup of Excellence, cementing their belief that dedication, not just tradition, shapes greatness. This set them on a course to pursue nothing but excellence.

• Country: Ethiopia
• Farm: Area smallholders
• Exporter: Alo Coffee
• Owner:  Tamiru Tadesse
• Region: Sidama
• Altitude: Up to 2350+ meters
• Varietal: 74158, an heirloom variety
• Processing: Red Honey

Sun dried Red Honey processed coffee

Cup Characteristics: Very sweet with balanced, nicely crafted fruitiness. Flavors of lychee, persimmon and tamarind. Some black tea tannins. Lots of finesse and elegance. 

Roasting Notes: Keep this coffee in the light to medium range. If you can adjust your development time after first crack, shoot for 15-16%. On a Behmor a P2 or P3 would work well.