Floral Sidamo: Ethiopia’s 90+ LevelUp Derar Ela Natural Process

Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee, and its beans offer some of the most varied and expressive flavor profiles in the world. Among them, Sidamo stands out—not just for its altitude or terroir, but for the distinct clarity and complexity of its cup. But what makes a naturally processed Sidamo from the 90+ LevelUp series so uniquely floral and layered? The answer lies in both origin and processing.

The 90+ LevelUp Derar Ela (meaning 'highly floral' in Sidamo) is a naturally processed Ethiopian coffee offering intense floral aromas, multiple berry tones, and tropical fruit layers. It’s lightly roasted, with a vibrant acidity, exceptional balance, and a long-lasting fruity-floral finish.

Where Sidamo Coffee Comes From

Sidamo is one of Ethiopia’s nine major coffee-growing regions, located in the country’s southern highlands at elevations between 1400 and 2200 metres. It borders Kenya and is part of Ethiopia’s five premium specialty coffee zones. While both washed and natural processes are used across Sidamo, the region is especially known for producing coffees with a clean fruit acidity, silky mouthfeel, and delicate floral notes. These qualities make Sidamo a favourite among specialty roasters aiming for a bright yet complex cup.

What Is 90+ Coffee—and Why Does It Taste Different?

Founded in 2007 by Joseph Brodsky, Ninety Plus (90+) is a globally recognised coffee producer celebrated for rare and distinctive single-origin beans. Unlike conventional classifications that label beans by process—washed, honey, or natural—90+ organises its offerings by fruit-forward intensity using a W2, H2, N2 scale. This means a coffee could be processed via honey but taste like a washed profile, or vice versa. The focus is on flavour outcome, not just technique.

The scale is as follows:

• W2 (Low): Bright acidity, light fruit, emphasis on florals and aroma
• H2 (Moderate): Balanced sweetness, fruit texture, and tea-like notes
• N2 (High): Bold, punchy fruitiness with jammy, dried fruit, and wild acidity

Derar Ela falls under the LevelUp sub-brand, which delivers 90+’s signature flavour complexity at a more accessible price point. Despite the lower cost, the quality remains exceptionally high.

Natural Processing and the Derar Ela Profile

Derar Ela is a natural (dry) processed coffee from the Shakiso, Kibremengist, and Guji areas of Sidamo. In natural processing, coffee cherries are dried with the fruit and mucilage still intact, allowing for greater fermentation and deeper fruit expression. This method is responsible for the coffee’s intense floral notes, including jasmine-like aromatics, along with a spectrum of berry and tropical fruit flavours.

The flavour notes listed for Derar Ela include: berries, walnuts, flowers, cream, peach, apple, grape, and a wide range of tropical fruits. These build into a layered, dynamic cup with a lasting floral and fruity aftertaste.

Key attributes:

• Roast level: Light recommended
• Grade: Premium
• Bean appearance: Very plump
• Acidity: Mildly bright (★★★★)
• Balance: Very stable (★★★★)
• Flavour: Complex, with red berries, stone fruit, grapes, and tropical notes
• Processing: Natural
• Origin detail: Ethiopia Sidamo—Shakiso, Kibremengist, Guji

How 90+ Classifies Flavour, Not Just Process

Where most coffee companies use processing method as the primary classifier (e.g., washed, honey, natural), 90+ flips the script. Their W2/H2/N2 system ranks beans based on the intensity and type of fruit character—allowing for unexpected flavour-process combinations. That’s why a honey-processed coffee might taste like a washed one, or why a natural like Derar Ela is grouped under N2 for its explosive fruitiness rather than its method alone.

This approach lets roasters and drinkers select beans based on desired flavour profiles, not assumptions about how a coffee was made.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “Derar Ela” mean?

Derar Ela means “highly floral” in the Sidamo language. It reflects the coffee’s prominent floral aroma and flavour notes, especially evident in the cup.

What processing method is used for 90+ LevelUp Derar Ela?

Derar Ela is a natural (dry) processed coffee, meaning the coffee cherries were dried with the fruit and mucilage still attached, enhancing its fruity and floral characteristics.

What does the 90+ W2/H2/N2 classification mean?

90+ ranks its coffees by fruit flavour intensity rather than processing method. W2 indicates light, bright, and floral; H2 denotes moderate sweetness and fruit texture; N2 signifies bold, complex, and fruit-forward profiles. Derar Ela is categorised as N2 for its intense fruitiness.

What flavours can I expect from this Sidamo coffee?

Expect a vibrant mix of berries, peaches, apples, grapes, tropical fruits, flowers, nuts, and cream. The cup is layered, complex, and finishes with lingering floral and fruity notes.

How should I roast 90+ LevelUp Derar Ela?

The recommendation is a light roast to preserve its delicate acidity, floral aromas, and vibrant fruit spectrum.

Is 90+ LevelUp more affordable than regular 90+ coffee?

Yes, LevelUp is a sub-brand of 90+ that offers similar flavour complexity at a more accessible price, without compromising on quality.

FrontStreet’s Recommended Natural-Process Ethiopian Coffees

For fans of the floral, fruity profile of 90+ LevelUp Derar Ela, FrontStreet Coffee offers several excellent Ethiopian naturals. The FrontStreet Strawberry Candy Espresso blends Ethiopian Yirgacheffe and Costa Rican beans with grape, berry, and ripe blackberry notes—ideal for those who enjoy intense fruitiness. Alternatively, try the FrontStreet Panama Humbera, which highlights the floral and jasmine aspects of Geisha with stone fruit and citrus. For something more traditional but equally vibrant, the FrontStreet Ethiopia Huakui delivers bright acidity with bergamot, floral, and stone fruit notes. All are available as freshly roasted single origins. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.