Introduction
The Coffee Gallery is part of Hadero Coffee Company, a coffee brand in Ethiopia.
Fun Fact: Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee.
Location
The Coffee Gallery is a boutique coffee museum in an area in Addis Ababa known as Gurd Shola.
It is 2 kilometres from Ethiopia’s largest mall, Century Mall. That means a 6 minute drive or a 20 minute walk from the mall.
Opening Hours
They are open from 8:30 am to 5:00pm.
However, for tours, it is advisable to get there before 3:30pm to get the full experience as the tour takes about 1 to 2 hours.
How Much is the Coffee Tour?
The coffee tour will cost you $10 per person which is about 1,192 Birr.
What To Expect
History of Coffee
The tour starts by being shown the ancient equipment that was used in the roasting, storing and brewing of coffee. You also get to hear the story of how coffee was discovered by a young man known as Kaldi and his famous goat.
Coffee Equipment Used
You’ll have a look at what our ancestors used to grind the coffee, store it, brew it and eventually, how they served it and enjoyed drinking the beverage with family and friends.
Roasting Process
To date, Ethiopians roast coffee the traditional way. However, for the mass market, it is not feasible to do this.
You will get to see the two roasting machines that Hadero uses and smell the aroma of freshly roasted coffee beans.
You will be walked through the entire process the coffee goes through from sorting, to roasting to degassing, to packaging.
Cupping Process
Cupping is the process of evaluating the taste and smell profile of coffee to determine if it matches the criteria desired. It is in this process that coffee defects can be identified.
You will have the chance to cup coffee and gauge whether you can identify different taste profiles.
A Taste of Traditionally Made Coffee
Once you are done cupping, you get to experience a traditional coffee ceremony where you will be served with some amazing arabica coffee. And coffee is not complete without some sweet popcorn.
Final Thoughts
Is the tour worth it?
Absolutely!
If you are into coffee then you will appreciate what the Coffee Gallery has to offer.
