Coffee Guide- Paramount Original Coffee

Honey Washed Dawi Coffee Guide

What is Honey washed Dawi?

This article will tell you everything you need to know about how Honey washed Dawi is processed as well as its flavor notes, aroma, and the best ways to brew it.

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Honey washed Dawi is a delicious and rich Ethiopian coffee that uses a distinct honey processing method to deliver sweet, smooth, and complex aromas and flavor notes. As far as premier Ethiopian coffee varieties go, Honey washed Dawi is the gold standard. You’ll love this wonderful Ethiopian blend for its delicious natural sweet flavors that come directly from its unique honey processing method. Recently, honey processed coffees have become huge cultural favorites among coffee enthusiasts. Like Yirgacheffe and Sidamo, Honey washed Dawi is chockfull of heavy and rich fruity tastes.

Trying Ethiopian coffee for the first time

You’re about to discover coffee that is unlike any other coffee in the world. To truly appreciate Ethiopian coffee’s intricate flavors, it’s important to learn about the deep and rich history of these wonderful coffee beans.

How is Honey washed Dawi processed?

At more than 7,000 feet above sea level, the coffee trees in Ethiopia grow at a much higher altitude than other coffee trees in countries like Brazil or Vietnam. Ethiopia’s “strictly high grown” coffee results in wonderfully complex flavors and aromas. After farmers pick and collect coffee cherries en masse, the cherries are sent for processing to separate the cherry fruit from the green coffee bean. But before we delve into how honey washed Dawi is processed, it’s important to first understand the basic anatomy of the coffee cherry.

The coffee cherry is composed of 5 main layers:

Outside skin/cherry pulp
Sticky, sweet mucilage
Parchment
Silverskin
Innermost green coffee bean

Let’s take a look at the 3 primary ways of processing coffee.

Naturally processed Coffee: This is Ethiopia’s traditional way of preparing and processing freshly picked coffee cherries. With the natural process, whole coffee cherries are left out in the sun with the fruit still attached. After a long drying process, natural fermentation begins which infuses the coffee with natural sweetness along with delightful fruity notes.

Wet processed Coffee: This is a very popular and quick processing method where the cherry fruit is removed from the bean after it is picked. Using a prolonged water soaking process of anywhere from 12 to 72 hours, the hull of the seed is gently unfastened along with most of the sticky, sweet mucilage. Since the sweet mucilage covering is removed early on, wet-processed Ethiopian coffee usually has a very clean and bright taste.

Honey washed processing: This is how honey washed Dawi is made. Despite the name, honey washed processing doesn’t mean that the coffee beans are washed in honey. Rather, the honey refers to the sweet, dewy layer of mucilage that surrounds the innermost coffee bean. The first stage of honey washed processing involves the first layer of skin being removed but preserving the sticky-sweet mucilage coating. The coffee bean with its mucilage coating is then left to dry, resulting in a coffee taste that is exquisitely sweet with little acidity.

What does Honey washed Dawi taste like?

Aroma: You can expect to experience a very fragrant and fruity aroma with enchanting notes of citrus and sweet notes bordering on cinnamon.

Body: The body can be described as light and elegant in the mouth with a very smooth finish.

Flavor notes: This coffee has been described as tasting like peaches, coconut, with shimmering notes of citrus and sometimes even jasmine.

How to brew?

When preparing any kind of Ethiopian coffee, you must take great care to ensure that the delicate flavor notes are preserved. We recommend the following 3 brewing methods:

1. Pour Over
2. French Press
3. Cold Brew

Pour-over method

Step 1: First, please use filtered water or bottled water instead of tap water. Tap water contains many impurities like chlorine which will affect how the coffee tastes. Heat the water just below boiling – around 75 to 85 degrees Celsius. You don’t want to use boiling water as it can burn off the amazing flavor notes that this exotic coffee has to offer.

Step 2: Place your paper filter stand on top of your cup.

Step 3: Carefully scoop out 5.5 grams of coffee grounds and put it into your paper filter. Paper filters can absorb some of the flavorsome coffee oils. If you’re looking to preserve the precious flavor notes, we recommend the french press method.

Step 4: Begin pouring the hot water from a high position, moving in a circular direction so the coffee grounds mix well with the hot water.

Step 5: Now let the coffee brew for a couple of minutes. Notice how a beautiful crema crust develops on top.

Step 6: Lower your nostrils to the cup and take in the wonderful aroma. This is called a coffee cupping.

Step 7: When you’re ready to taste it, spoon a little coffee, and quickly slurp it into your mouth. Slurping helps spread the coffee over your tongue’s many taste receptors.

French press method

We prefer using the French press method since it preserves and unlocks the full flavor profile of Ethiopian coffee. This inexpensive way of preparing coffee will result in some of the best coffee you’ll ever taste.

Step 1: Put 7 to 8 grams of medium grind coffee into your French Press.

Step 2: Prepare hot water in a kettle. Be sure it is below boiling – around 75 to 85 degrees celsius.

Step 3:Pour the hot water into your French Press and mix gently with a spoon.

Step 4: Attach the plunger to the top of your French Press but don’t push down yet. Let the hot water and Honey washed Dawi brew for a few minutes.

Step 5: Push down gently on the plunger. The coffee grinds will collect at the bottom.

Step 6: Pour your coffee into your cup. Congratulations! Now you’re ready to enjoy your first cup of authentic Honey washed Dawi!

Cold brewing

Honey washed Dawi that has been cold brewed offers a wonderfully elegant taste with a pronounced natural sweetness that is perfect for hot summer mornings.

Step 1: Grind your coffee beans very coarsely.

Step 2: Mix the coffee grounds with filtered water in a tall cup.

Step 3: Let the cup steep overnight in your fridge, or at least for 12 hours.

How to enjoy your first cup of Honey washed Dawi

Did you know that your tongue has five major taste receptors? To detect the amazing fruity and floral notes, you’ll need to evenly disperse the coffee over the front, back, center, and two sides of your tongue. We highly recommend you slurp, and don’t sip!