Introduction:The Red Cherry Project is an initiative launched by the Dutch company Trabocca to enhance the quality of smallholder coffee in Ethiopia. By meticulously selecting 100% ripe red cherries and applying high-standard cupping criteria, it produces premium micro-lots with outstanding flavor profiles. This article takes the Yirgacheffe Natural Red Cherry as an example to delve into the background, selection mechanism, and regional characteristics of the project, and provides practical brewing parameters for two common pour over devices — the Strawberry Dripper and the Origami Dripper. It will guide you in mastering temperature, grind size, and water flow techniques to bring out vibrant floral notes and sweet fruity tones.
In the world of specialty coffee, the ripeness of coffee cherries is key to determining the final flavor profile. The Yirgacheffe Natural Red Cherry introduced by a certain brand comes from the carefully selected lots of Ethiopia’s renowned “Red Cherry Project” (Operation Cherry Red). This project is led by Trabocca, the largest green coffee trading company in the Netherlands, and aims to encourage smallholder farmers to harvest only fully ripe red coffee cherries. These are then meticulously hand-sorted by skilled local female workers. Only beans that score 88 or above in cupping tests qualify for inclusion in this high-standard program.
The full name of the Red Cherry Project is “Operation Cherry Red,” abbreviated as OCR. Its original intention is to enhance the competitiveness of small-scale farms by raising harvesting and sorting standards, while also providing roasters with more distinctive specialty coffees. Each year before the harvest season, Trabocca invites partner farms in Ethiopia to produce small batches of around 1,500 to 3,000 kilograms (approximately 25 to 50 bags) of specially selected lots. Farmers are required to pick only fully red-ripe coffee cherries. This practice greatly impacts the acidity, sweetness, and aroma of the final coffee.
To ensure quality, the sorting process is primarily carried out by careful and experienced Ethiopian women. With their keen eyesight and patience, they select the ripest and highest-quality cherries from the lot. This not only improves coffee uniformity but also results in brews with richer layers and textures. Moreover, the project encourages farms to invest more effort in post-harvest processing, whether washed, natural, honey, or other special methods, all are executed with fine craftsmanship.
The Red Cherry Project covers various processing methods and regions, including Yirgacheffe, Sidamo, Pungae Forest, Lekempti, Kempaata, Yiru Babba, Harrar, and Limu, with the addition since 2011 of the Golocha region near Harrar. These areas, due to differences in altitude, microclimate, and soil, produce coffees with distinct personalities. After receiving coffee from the farms, Trabocca conducts a second round of rigorous selection. Professional cupping teams in both Ethiopia and the Netherlands evaluate the lots separately. Only those that score 88 or above in both cuppings are granted “Red Cherry Project” certification and receive additional bonus incentives.
It is worth mentioning that the Red Cherry Project is not primarily profit-driven. Trabocca operates the program with just a small team of four people (including the boss and a secretary), with the rest of the administrative work supported by the parent company. Profits are maximized and reinvested into the participating farms to improve production equipment, upgrade techniques, and enhance living standards. This sustainable model allows the project to continue operating and to progressively elevate the overall quality of the coffee.
Below, we take the Yirgacheffe Natural Red Cherry introduced by a certain brand as an example to share practical brewing parameters and flavor profiles using two common pour over drippers — the Strawberry Dripper and the Origami Dripper — helping coffee enthusiasts replicate similar aromas and tastes at home.
[Strawberry Dripper Brewing Guide]
The Strawberry Dripper is characterized by its dotted rib structure on the inner wall, resembling strawberry seeds. These small protrusions prevent the dripper from forming a complete seal with the filter paper, creating multiple tiny gaps that aid drainage and reduce the risk of over-extraction. Additionally, the smaller outlet hole at the bottom slows down the water flow rate, improving overall extraction efficiency. The dotted structure also helps trap fine coffee particles, allowing coarser grounds to settle at the bottom for better immersion, further balancing extraction and flavor expression.
Recommended parameters: 15 grams of coffee, medium-fine grind (approximately BG 6T, equivalent to 58% passing through a Chinese standard No. 20 sieve), water temperature at 90°C, and a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio. First, pour 30 grams of water for a 30-second bloom. Then, pour water in small streams in a circular motion from the center outward until the water level reaches 120 grams. Once the water level drops slightly, continue pouring until the total weight reaches 226 grams. Remove the dripper just before the water level exposes the coffee bed. Total brew time is about 1 minute and 50 seconds.
Flavor Profile: After brewing, you’ll first notice pronounced floral aromas. The cup features bright acidity with citrus and sweet orange notes. As the coffee cools, honey and dried fruit sweetness gradually emerge, resulting in a refreshing and layered taste experience.
[Origami Dripper Brewing Guide]
The Origami Dripper has a conical shape with several deep vertical grooves along the sidewall and a single larger outlet hole at the bottom, resulting in relatively faster water flow. This dripper is mostly made of ceramic, offering good heat conductivity and insulation, which helps maintain stable brewing temperatures.
This guide uses a conical filter paper. Due to slightly lower contact between the paper and the dripper, the middle coffee bed is thicker while the edges are thinner, aiding gas release from the coffee grounds. If the water level gets too high during pouring, water may easily seep through the gaps between the paper and dripper. Brewing parameters are the same as for the Strawberry Dripper: 15 grams of coffee, medium-fine grind (BG 6T, 58% passing through a No. 20 sieve), water temperature 90°C, 1:15 ratio. Begin with a 30-second bloom of 30 grams of water, then pour in small streams from the center up to 120 grams, followed by pouring to 226 grams. Stop pouring and remove the dripper just before the water level exposes the coffee bed. Total brew time is approximately 1 minute and 55 seconds.
Flavor Profile: Coffee brewed this way presents bright acidity with citrus and lemon notes upfront, accompanied by soft sandalwood aromas. The finish delivers a distinct honey-like sweetness, with a balanced and layered overall profile.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
