Ethiopia Misty Valley Yirgacheffe Ethiopia: Misty Valley, Yirgacheffe

My wife and I have only been brewing for a year, but we bought this coffee based on the review. We were also stunned by the complexity of the coffee. It was really true that you can taste all of those undertones. We were very very impressed. My wife is a Columbian lover, myself lately into Costa Rican, but we both rank this one in our top three! Get it but don't roast to the second crack as it is better to light roast and let it sit about 4 days.

I love it, but I had to figure out what I was doing wrong with my roast profile first. I had read about the wow-factor blueberry flavor, and my first attempt at roasting it resulted in a muddy blueberry-floral hit with plenty of sweetness, but not the acid to balance it out. A hotter start, with a shorter roast cleaned up the flavor significantly. For those with the Gene Cafe roaster, here was the profile used: 8 oz, 227 grams starting, 7.0 oz 199 grams weight after roasting (12.5% loss). Pre-warm the empty drum for 5 minutes at 392 F. Rapidly add your beans and re-insert the drum into the Gene Cafe. (be quick!). Clear your kitchen timer and start timer and the roast at 392 F. (200 C) Stay at this temperature for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes have elapsed, raise the temperature to 464 F (240C). First pop of first Crack will be likely heard at about 10:30 on the kitchen timer, Reduce temperature to 437 F (225C) one minute ten seconds after the first pop of first crack is heard. (For me, the temp was lowered at 11 minutes 40 seconds into roast). Continue at this temperature until Full-City roast is reached (About 13 minutes and 30 seconds). Rapidly cool externally to the Gene Cafe to stop the roast process. I include this because the Gene Cafe roasts a bit differnt than classical drum roasters, so the roast profile is tuned for the Gene Cafe Roaster.

Very fruity and bright, as I expected from a Yirgacheffe. It was the body and finish that I was disappointed in. I'll go back to the drawing board on this one. Impressive coffee but contains quite a few defects in the bag I got. Cupping it yielded all of the fruit and acidity I expect but odd, nutty popcorn flavors as well.

Wonderful Ethiopian natural. Tastes like Brookside blueberry chocolate. Light-medium roast. City/City+ 5:00 yellow 9:30 FC +2:30 past FC to end at 212C A must try!

I agree with others who have questioned the fruity, floral reviews. Yirgacheffe’s general flavor profile is more of a winey taste, not fruity, and this one is no different. The fruity flavors come more from Harare/Harrar, not Yirgacheffe. This coffee was more like a Sidamo. It’s good, but it’s not fruity. I find that I get to first crack around 400, and I take it to second crack, but that mutes some of the flavor profile as you probably already know. We use it exclusively for espresso and it’s been lovely for that. I probably wouldn’t buy it again, only because I don’t care for the winey flavor, but it is a good coffee. Just don’t expect blueberries from this one.

Rich E. - Sad to say I've now done 4 roasts of Misty and no fruit or floral. Today's roast (9/17/22) after cooling I tried in an aeropress and even with cream ended up dumping out 1/2 the cup. I've been roasting about 15 yrs and love Ethiopian's but this has been very disappointing now 1/2 way thru a 5# bag. In the meantime I've done a couple Kenya's that have been great. Using a drum w/3 TC's into artisan. Not sure what to try next to salvage something from what is left. Argh!

This is my go-to coffee bean. It jhas very intense flavor but also very smooth. Great for both pour over as well as cold brew. I've tried several other yirgacheffes, but this one is far superior to the others. I take it to just at second crack for a nice dark roast.

I was intrigued by this coffee's description,so I order 3 lbs. After roasting it to the 2nd Crack, I got a wonderful cup of fragrant nice body coffee. Others in my household who like their coffee with cream and sugar actually like this coffee black. I only gave it 4 stars because it is a great experience, however not my everyday coffee though I may order it again.

So just got this bean thanks to cyber Monday sale. Been home roasting 3 years now. 100% blueberry muffin and chocolate notes. Super sweet and tasty. Ethiopians can be tricky. This one seems to be one that has small room for error to get it right. Definitely city roast to hit all the tasting notes but taste is subjective so folks should bear in mind that but tasting notes maybe what’s on the nose as well. This bean is fantastic. 11 minute roast dropped 30 seconds into rolling first crack seems counterintuitive I know but…….48 hrs later boom!!!! Glad I got ten lbs yes yirgs are more citrus and floral not fruit but that also depends on the region and the region these beans come from are noted for Sweet, very fruity and chocolate finish. Folks that are roasting well up to and into second crack will roast away a lot of what makes this bean special. Reminds me of a chocolatey blueberry with a sweet muffin note from halo bariti from 12 years ago will definitely buy this again thanks CBC I’m a newer customer to you but your beans have been exquisite so far thank you

Misty Valley is always a very good choice in beans. Very solid in it's consistency. I enjoy a darker roast and it great. My family enjoys just past the first crack and it's great that way too. Use as espresso or as a brew coffee. You can do it all with the MV Yirgacheffe. We love it. Always want to have some on hand.

So smooth and the aftertaste nice. Blueberry muffin creamy mellow taste. My new favorite coffee.

My favorite Ethiopian so far. The fruit flavors (mostly blueberry) hold on a lot longer into the roast than other Ethiopians I have done. I roasted this one about 30 seconds past rolling FC for a nice medium and the blueberries held strong. Even in a blend with 25% Misty and 75% darker roast Brazil for body the blueberries were still very dominant in the cup. Definitely will be ordering more.

This is definitely some of the best coffee I’ve ever had. Been roasting for over a year now. I typically roast a coffee supreme and just finished a 25 pound bag of that so decided to try something new. Bought a lot of samples from this company and I have to say all of them were great. I went with a few of the CBC blends as well as Costa Rican blends and a few from India and Mexico. Haven’t tried them all but this one is deff my favorite so far. Decided to try this blend mainly after seeing an episode on Joe Rogans podcast that mentioned Ethiopia as the origin of coffee. Totally makes sense now. This is like the OG kush of coffee !

I'm relatively new to home roasting and I use a air popcorn popper. This coffee tastes like none of the other green beans I've sampled so far; it's a very distinct taste with strong blueberry and black cherry notes. It is delicious black. I roast until I hear the beginning of the second crack. Will try to go lighter.

Part of the sample pack and I used it to learn more about my Hottop K2+ . Roasted it to Full City to see what it do as a dark roast. (Dropped it at 11:24/399F). Let it sit for 3 days. It came out with great body and a unsweetened cocoa aftertaste (very pleasant). Of all the Ethiopia coffees that I have tried from CBC and their competitors, this is the one I like the best. . Based on the other reviews, I will try to do this at a lighter roast level and see where that takes me. I will buy more to share with family & friends. Cheers! DaveCx

It had been years since I roasted this coffee. I thought I'd try it again and meh. There are many coffees that appeal to me, this is not one. I guess my palate doesn't find this one as fantastic as other reviewers. I enjoy Indian (Monsoon Malabar in particular), Papua New Guinea, Brazil, and Vietnamese coffees. .

Yes it very much lives up to its name with lots of flavors or blueberry. Good coffee bean

Nicely balanced Etheopian coffee.

Like others say.. you get this to a nice med to med+ roast but not dark... you get blueberry when hot and chocolate especially when cooler ... the chocolate really comes out when the coffee is cold. If you under roast the taste is grassy like other light roast beans. You are not drinking a fruit drink or chocolate shake... the flavors are subtle .. I mentioned to my girlfriend that I was picking up blueberry and she was what.. you are crazy I don't ta... blu.... OH! now I do WOW!... Gotta get the roast right... too light or too dark is a miss.

My previous batch of Misty was great. However, I'm not having any success w/this batch for some reason. First off, the fragrance of the beans isn't floral at all. I've tried going from 30s increments to 2min. after 1C. Unlike the Sidamo Durato Bombe, I'm not getting any fruity or floral notes at all. I'll have to Turn n' Burn the last 5lbs I have left. Ugh.

I am new to roasting but This is my favorite so far. It’s like out of this world

This is really good. Probably one of the best Ethiopian I've had in a while. Their all good but this one had a distinctive flavor. This misty was good after a 16hr rest time taste Normally I do a next day taste on all my roasts. If not there I let set for couple days. Amazing difference if you some coffee set or rest for up to 10 days. Play misty for me

Using the Sweet Marias Popper and a 6 min roast. Pour over with ~25g grounds and 400 g H2O. Makes a pretty delicious cup in my opinion. I'd buy these beans again for sure.

I really liked this coffee at a City plus level. Got a clear, clean cup that had blueberry notes. It was very floral with the dry grind and was pleased with the brewed cup. I use an Areopress almost exclusively. I used a Gene to roast this and started at about 100F and set the temp at 433 for 14 minutes and cooled to about 250 F before cooling with my own external method. This is my second time but my first review. Happy with this coffee both times.

This is the best bean I’ve gotten thus far from CBC.

Simply the best for espresso dark roasted !!!

Very good coffee!! I roasted past FC and it turned out great. My first sip were strawberry notes. I knew that I hit the right roast when I finished the cup. There are some dead beans in the bunch, but not many. I would highly recommend it and will be buying more if it is available.

I went with a light sample roast to see what the bean has to offer and was very impressed. Usually the coffee flavor descriptors are seemingly random, but this one actually does have the blueberry note so beloved by Ethiopian natural fans. I’m excited to continue developing my roast for this coffee and see how it tastes at medium roast levels. Definitely give it a shot!

When the coffee is roasted as medium the flavor has outstanding blueberry flavor. This is my second five pound batch and I will continue to purchase it. Thank you CBC for making this bean available for purchase.

This is the kind of coffee that made me fall in love with dry processed beans. Many years since I've had a natural this good. Very few defects, lots of beautiful fruit notes and not a lot of funk. GREAT coffee!

Some of my favorite beans. Easy to get consistent roast profile..

I found this Yirgacheffe to be nice and balanced, sweet with great fruity overtones :)

After roasting 4 coffee samples so far and not finding one I would call a keeper I landed on Ethiopia Misty Valley. With my trusty SR500, I roasted it to end of FC (City) with heat at medium after FC started. Delicious coffee in pour over using 0.8 oz of grounds between med and fine grind (like sand). So smooth, floral notes, light sweetness and balanced, medium boldness. This is less than 24 hrs after roast. Very Impressed.

I’m not a professional at roasting and have only tried this bean a few times and it’s a little tougher for me to get that perfect roast than some others but I will get there. It still turned out good.

One of my favorite beans, alongside Kayon Mtn. Ordered it as soon as it came back in stock. Ethiopians are very sweet, this one is no different. 10/10.

After testing many coffees over the years, we settled on Ethiopia Misty Valley Yirgacheffe Natural. Our preference is a very light roast work a genie, switching to cooling mode at first pop. It makes for a really enjoyable morning starter as an espresso for me and a macchiato for my wife. The only downside to this coffee is that you may want to drink too much.

This Ethiopia Yirgacheffe has been one of our staple beans since we started our business a year ago. We roast it dark to caramelize the sugars and the result is a wonderful dark chocolate, full body, coffee that's intense without being bitter. We also roast this bean light for a collaboration with an ice cream company, and medium for a collaboration with a local brewery.

One of the best for espresso.

I'm not a fan of "fruity" flavors in coffee and favor darkly roasted beans for pour-over brewing (Chemex), so Ethiopian has never been on my radar. But Ethiopian was suggested by a barista for espresso, that it's the only kind she uses in her shop. And she certainly makes an excellent cappuccino! Misty Valley makes a delicious espresso, better than two others varieties I tried, but not something for drip or pour-over.

This is an excellent Ethiopian natural. I roasted two batches, the first just shy of 2C, and the second about 30 seconds into 2C. When combined, they produced a smooth and well balanced blend, with notes of berries and chocolate.

30 seconds after first crack ends amazing citrus flavors one of my favorites!

JKeith I am a newbie when it comes to roasting my own coffee, and a friend of mine pointed me to Coffee Bean Corral. I don't know how to 'properly' describe it, so I'll just country-boy it... I like a light roast so I simply looked through the descriptions and found this bean. LOVE it! roasted 250g at 220c for 11 minutes...waited a couple days...and then it was like heaven in my cup. I know that everyone's tastes are different, but I highly recommend you give this bean a try if you like a light roast.

I roasted this in a Genecafe at 428. Total time roasting was 16 1/2 minutes and then cooling time. It was a delicious aroma right out of the ginger. Very fruity and floral. The cup was a delightful fruit forward cup and the berries were very evident. I love it best when a Yirgacheff is like that.

This coffee exceeded my expectations. It is very aromatic, bright and sweet, I can add that it is chocolaty and fruity as well. All the attributes assigned to it in the coffee bean matrix are entirely valid. My preference is medium roast, preferably on the light side. There is just one other coffee bean from Nicaragua that I would rate as highly as this one.

Ronnie This coffee reaches its prime at the French roast level. Not a lot of complexity before or after that level. At American or City Roast the acidity is overwhelming, It retains that acidity up until it reaches French Roast. Just at the second crack - for me that's about 445 degrees it does lose the acidity but lacks in any character. At French roast, its served its purpose for existing and dose so much like most Yirgacheffes, just don't look to it as a coffee that versatile and able to bring more to the cup than the quintessential Yirgacheffe.

Got a 1/2 lb as part of a sample pack. Roasted then to city roast in a behmor and I was blown away by the fruity smell and flavor. Super good in an aeropress. I will be buying more.

I started roasting coffee a few days ago. I bought one of those Barwell coffee roasters, the updated version, and I couldn't be happier. This was the first bean I roasted, and I initially under-roasted it. After realizing this, I roasted it again as dark as I dared, and it came out amazing! One of the best coffees I have ever tried.

Might be the best coffee I’ve had.. a minute after first crack, through my kitchenaid siphon coffee maker... sooo good. I love it mixed into almost every other coffee I have too...

This is my favorite offering from Coffee Bean Corral so far. I'm a coffee snob, but I'm not a coffee expert. I know what I like, and I like Ethiopian beans, and from Kenya, and the natural processing because it leaves a residual Bourbon like flavor that I can't get enough of. They say to roast these light, but I think much more flavor come through when roasted to second crack. The friendly small-shop service is the best I've experienced, making me a loyal customer.

This year's crop is good. Roasted on a Gene Cafe to full City. Sweet and smooth, starting with a bit of blueberry and continues to a general light fruitiness that doesn't overpower or cover up what is an outstanding coffee.

I have struggled with roasting this coffee. There seems to be a lot of green defects in the bag, particularly insect damage. Also, the beans are very different in size causing over roasting in the small beans, leaving a roasty flavor which I try to avoid in coffee. Unfortunately I will not order again.

This coffee is everything I like about Ethiopian Yirgacheffe in an easy-to-roast bean. I have had some problems roasting other Ethiopians in my little Nesco, but this works great roasting for about 16 minutes. Full flavor, great color, and still just the right acidity. This morning I had what might be the best cup of coffee that I have ever had from this. Really.

I love this coffee. I make my coffee in a pour over and it is so smooth and full of flavor. I don't need to add creamer, its perfect just the way it is.

This coffee is exquisite. We bought 5 lbs to try out and had considered offering to customers, but we may end up just keeping it for ourselves instead 🤣 Definitely recommend this coffee if you’re looking for an amazing start to your day, or to go with your favorite baked dessert!

This was a good coffee to roast. I have never had this type of Yirgacheffe before. Very light tasting. It is impossible to make this coffee too strong. Not as pleasantly flavored though as the Queen City Harrar though. Still easy to drink and enjoy on a hot summer day.

Misty Valley was the first coffee I ever roasted (2014 or so), and it's my gold standard. My favorite roast is on the lighter side to preserve the strong blueberry accents, but I love it anyway if I miss the mark a little bit. I'm still trying a few different approaches out, but using my FreshRoast 500 I've had good results roasting on High for 4 minutes, switching to medium for 45 seconds, then cooling. If I leave it on high after 4 minutes it seems to progress really quickly through medium into dark.

These Yirgacheffe beans were quite a surprise as it was the first time I had roasted them. They roasted to a beautiful dark level with some oily-ness on the surface. I expected they’d be too strong and bitter but found it not to be the case. The results were a dark but bright brew (does that make sense?) with smooth body, and a slight bitterness (maybe the cocoa flavor?). Also some berry sweetness. Found it very pleasant and easy to drink.

This is a very good example of an Ethiopia Dry Process. Nice fruity tones and a rich creamy body. I already reordered.

This coffee is absolutely amazing. A cup of this is a humbling, spiritual experience. Did I mention the smell and taste of blueberries!?

Tried a 1/2 lb sample. Have now ordered a 5 lb bag. That should tell you that me and my Hive Roaster have found the Blueberry Treasure Pot that er'body is searching for!

Absolutely love this coffee. Very fruity and a great chocolaty body. Easily becoming one of my favorites.

Roast these little gems light or medium for a taste of pure goodness. Lighter roasts bring out a strong blueberry muffin tone. Unlike anything else ever. I've been roasting on a small commercial basis for 2 years and these are my favorite beans.

I love natural processed Yirgacheffe and the sweet berry notes it always has. This one seemed a little more subtle on the berry than some Yirgacheffe beans I’ve had… but also had an incredible honey and graham aftertaste that I loved. This will definitely be a bean I come back for again and again. Roasted in my hot air popper to 30 seconds after the end of first crack. Drank 3 days later as espresso in a latte.