New Entrance

About 10 years ago, I ordered an Ethiopia natural without thinking much at a newly opened coffee shop. This Ethiopian coffee was the very thing that initiated me into the world of specialty coffee. Having the flavors and elegance of berries and tea, the coffee was an emotional experience for someone who had only known bitter coffee. From that day on, I started my pilgrimage to coffee shops. Before I realized, I was absorbed in coffee, and began to seriously think about working this job.

A few years on, when I set up my own business and bought a roaster, I picked Ethiopia for my first attempt at roasting. It may be an overstatement to say I made the choice as an homage to the emotional experience I had back in the day. But I wanted many people to taste its amazing flavors. I may be patting myself on the back, but I’m sure many people around me started to dive deep into coffee thanks to Ethiopian coffee.

Five years have passed since I started my own roastery. By a twist of fate, Ethiopia will be the destination of my first trip to a coffee origin. I’ve always thought that meeting coffee producers is a must-do for roasters, and that meeting them will finally put me at the starting line as a roaster. In that sense, this trip will be the prologue of my journey as a roaster.

Ethiopia has always been a new entrance in my coffee life.

I wonder what I will see in this country, and what I will learn there. I’m looking forward to the visit in December.