TIM (Terroir Intensified Maceration), also known as the Terroir Enhanced Processing Method, is somewhat similar in concept to traditional fermentation techniques such as Gui brewing or even Lu Wei (braised delicacies). The process involves retaining the fermented liquid from a previous batch of coffee and using it to ferment the next batch. This creates a continuous fermentation environment using native microorganisms from the same plot of land, intensifying the microbial influence and enhancing flavor development in each subsequent batch.
Coffees processed using this method often exhibit a rounder acidity and sweetness reminiscent of Cascara (coffee cherry tea).
Alo has been one of our favorite beans among the selections we’ve procured over the past two years. In 2021, our long-term sourcing partner, Tri-Up Green Coffee Company, proposed a collaboration to Tamiru in response to global warming. As climate change accelerates, coffee grown at lower altitudes matures too quickly, resulting in insufficient sucrose content.
The idea was to seek out higher-altitude coffees, and Tamiru enthusiastically supported the initiative. He began sourcing coffee cherries grown at altitudes above 2,500 meters, which is nearly higher than half of Taiwan’s Jade Mountain. This required considerable effort—overcoming terrain and logistical challenges to transport the cherries and secure labor.
Coffee cherries harvested at such high altitudes experience slower maturation due to colder climates and tend to have fewer strains of microbes, resulting in coffee that is exceptionally clean and sweet. This is why we’ve named the highest-altitude batch from Alo the “Sky Project”.
Within the Sky Project, Tamiru also hand-selected the smallest-sized coffee beans, calling them the “Pearl Batch.” Smaller beans often possess better sweetness, giving rise to the name:
ALO SKY PROJECT PEARL.
Variety: 74158
In the past, Ethiopian coffee varieties were broadly referred to as Heirloom, which lumped together many genetically diverse landraces. To better utilize Ethiopia’s rich coffee genetic diversity and improve the country’s coffee industry, the Ethiopian government established a dedicated research institute: the Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC). The center focuses on collecting, identifying, and preserving coffee varieties, improving farming techniques, refining post-processing methods, and developing new cultivars. Today, the center’s primary mission is developing improved coffee varieties.
In 1971, Coffee Berry Disease (CBD) spread across Ethiopia. Initial trials in 1972 used chemical fungicides, which proved successful, but a better solution was sought: developing CBD-resistant varieties from Ethiopia’s extensive genetic resources. The selection process began in 1973, sourcing varieties from 19 regions in southwestern Ethiopia. JARC researchers tested these in multiple stages, both in the field and in labs.
Eventually, 13 coffee trees collected from Gera, Metu-Bishari, Washi, and Wush Wush were found to possess resistance to CBD. Among the improved CBD-resistant varieties released in 1974 and 1975, those beginning with “74” or “75” indicate the year of selection, with the numbers that follow representing the variety’s registry number.
The 74158 variety originates from a mother tree found in the Illubabora zone of Metu Bishari. Released by JARC in 1979, 74158 became popular among farmers for its CBD resistance and high yield, making it widely cultivated across Ethiopia.