“This coffee is incredible. Gigawatt coffee in general (I’ve tried them all) is fantastic but this black series is by far the best. The smell of the coffee is the perfect wake up alarm. It’s warm and cozy feeling and is perfectly spiced. It is the closest a drip coffee could come to the “cafe de olla” taste and it’s a nod to the Mexican community. Thanks, Eli and Jen for this gem of a coffee flavor!”
Black Bag Series
Light Roast | Limited Release
Best Seller
$14.99
Black Bag Series – Ethiopian Gotiti Gedeb
Part of our limited Black Bag Series, this anaerobic natural Ethiopian is the juiciest coffee in our lineup. Red plum leads the way with a ripe, red berry sweetness, and molasses sits underneath to give it depth and richness. What makes it special is the balance. It drinks bright and fruit forward without the sharp acidity you usually get from a coffee this vibrant. Grown by smallholder farmers in Banko Gotiti at over 2,100 meters and processed at a woman-led drying station in Gedeb.
Why You'll Love It
- Exclusive Small Batch: One sack only, roasted in limited quantities.
- Juicy & Fruit Forward: Red plum and red berry sweetness through the whole cup.
- Flavor Notes: Red Plum, Molasses.
Want to taste more coffees with a bright, fruity profile? Try our Organic Honduran Coffee.
This Release
What This One Tastes Like
An anaerobic natural Ethiopian grown above 2,100 meters. Bright and fruit forward, without the sharp acidity you usually get from a cup this vibrant.
Red Plum
Ripe stone fruit that leads the cup, sweet and round rather than tart.
Molasses
Dark sweetness sitting underneath, giving the fruit depth and weight.
Juicy
A mouthwatering finish that stays bright without turning sharp.
Where These Notes Come From
Every note above comes from the bean itself. The altitude it grew at, the way the cherry was fermented and dried, and how we roast it all shape what you taste. Air roasting suspends the beans on hot air instead of tumbling them against hot metal, so the chaff lifts away during the roast and what is already in the bean comes through clean, never bitter and never burnt.
Roasted fresh in small batches, shipped in 24 to 48 hours
Where This One Came From
Banko Gotiti to Bensenville
Five steps, two continents, and about eleven months between the tree and your grinder.
Region
Gedeb, Ethiopia
Altitude
2,150 to 2,200m
Process
Anaerobic Natural
Varietal
Heirloom Landraces
The Village
Banko Gotiti, two hectares at a time
This coffee comes from smallholder farmers around Banko Gotiti village, working plots that average about two hectares, high enough that the cherries ripen slowly and build sugar. The trees grow under a natural canopy of indigenous species including ensete, the false banana that is a staple food crop across Ethiopia. Farmers here grow without chemical pesticides or fertilizers.
The Harvest
Handpicked, late November into January
Every cherry is selectively handpicked, which means pickers walk the same trees repeatedly and take only what is ripe. The cherries are then floated in water so the underdeveloped ones rise and get pulled out before drying. This one lot came to 38,400 kilograms of cherry gathered from farms across the area.
The Drying Station
Run by a woman-owned exporter
The Gotiti drying station is rented and managed outright by an Ethiopian woman-owned exporter, a company built around creating opportunity for women farmers and pulling only the best cherry from trusted nearby farms. It is a small detail on paper and a large one in practice. Whoever runs the station decides what gets accepted, and that decision is most of what ends up in the cup.
The Process
Anaerobic natural, 12 to 15 days on raised beds
Anaerobic means the cherries ferment sealed off from oxygen before they ever hit the beds, and that closed fermentation is where the red plum and molasses come from. After that they dry whole in the sun on raised beds for 12 to 15 days depending on the weather, turned constantly for evenness. Local women hand-sort the parchment during and after drying, pulling defects one at a time.
The Roast
Addis to Djibouti to our roastery
From Gedeb the coffee moves to storage in Addis Ababa, then by rail to the port of Djibouti, then across the ocean to us. We air roast it in Bensenville, Illinois on a fluid bed, which suspends the beans on hot air instead of tumbling them against hot metal. The chaff lifts away during the roast, so nothing scorches and none of that fruit gets buried under a burnt edge.
One sack. When it is gone, it is gone for good.
Shop All CoffeeWhat Coffee Lovers Are Saying: Black Bag Series reviews from verified buyers
4.8 out of 5 · 181 verified reviews
From earlier Black Bag releases. Every release is a different coffee.
“Jen, and Eli have roasted another excellent blend of coffee. Now I can be caffeinated in style in the morning. Always smooth and flavorful, never bitter.”
“This was one of my favorite coffees I've had. It hits you with a fruity note up front and a smooth middle.”
“Excellent coffee! Rich flavor and the fastest delivery around. I ordered it and received it the next day. I love trying the Black Bag series as they are always delicious.”
“Before this coffee arrived at my house, mornings were boring and bland. Since the arrival of this magical blend, every day is magnificent, the birds are singing the most beautiful of songs and I can hardly wait for my 4am alarm! Get some!”
“Very rich, and bold. I love it. I hope this continues on. Thank you.”
“It’s very smooth and a rich taste, I love it.”
“This coffee was great!!! I loved the flavor and the aroma as it was brewing. It paired so nicely with a scone. I finished my bag today, will have to see if there is any more available. Thanks!!”
“Wonderful flavor, no bitterness at all. Perfect cup of coffee. This is one of our new favorites! Ordered one bag tried it and immediately ordered 2 more!”
“I say to my friends, get in on Gigawatt coffee. The coffee is great and I love buying from a local independent coffee roaster. I hope to see you at the Frankfort farmers market.”
Questions
Black Bag Series FAQ
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What is the Gigawatt Black Bag Series?
The Black Bag Series is Gigawatt Coffee Roasters' rotating limited release. Each one is a different coffee bought in a very small amount, sometimes a single sack, then air roasted in Bensenville, Illinois and sold until it runs out. It is where we put the coffees that are too small or too unusual to keep in the everyday lineup.
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What coffee is in the Black Bag Series right now?
The current release is always described at the top of this page. We update the product name, tasting notes, and origin details every time a new Black Bag goes live, so whatever you see above is what is in the bag today.
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How often does the Black Bag Series change?
There is no fixed schedule. A release lasts as long as the supply lasts, which is usually a few months, though a popular one can sell out much faster. When a Black Bag sells out, the next one takes its place on this page.
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Can I get the Black Bag Series on a coffee subscription?
No. The Black Bag Series is a limited release in small quantities, so there is never enough of any single coffee to guarantee a recurring delivery. If you want fresh coffee arriving on a schedule, our coffee subscriptions cover our year round blends and single origins, and you can always add a Black Bag as a separate order while it is in stock.
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Will a past Black Bag Series coffee come back?
Almost never. These are one time buys, so once a release sells out we generally cannot source that exact coffee again. If a Black Bag turns out to be your favorite, it is worth grabbing another bag before it is gone.
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Is the Black Bag Series always a medium roast?
Most releases land in the medium range, but not all of them. Roast level, origin, and processing all change from one Black Bag to the next. The roast level for the current release is listed at the top of this page, so it is worth checking each time even if the last one was not your style.
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How do I find out when the next Black Bag Series coffee drops?
Our email and text subscribers hear first, and that is usually the only heads up before a release sells out. Sign up through the form at the bottom of this page, or bookmark this page and check back. You can also find us at Chicagoland farmers markets and events, where we bring the current release to the booth.
Still have questions? Get in touch and we will get you an answer.