Your first cup of Ethi CO begins with a simple choice: would you like something fruity, or something earthy? Our cascara infusions explore the dried coffee cherry, while our Koti teas explore the coffee leaf. Both offer a way to try more of the coffee plant, and each has its own flavor range and brewing routine.
You do not need tasting experience or special equipment to find a favorite. Start with the flavors you already enjoy, brew according to the variety, and give yourself a moment to notice what is in the cup. Here is a practical guide to choosing your starting point.
Cascara: start here for fruit, flowers, and warm spice
In the Ethi CO range, cascara means dried Ethiopian coffee cherry. Our pure version, Hashara, contains only cascara. Its flavor profile brings together dried fruit, honeyed notes, light tartness, and a smooth finish.
Choose Hashara if you want to get to know the coffee cherry before exploring blends. Taste it plain first. When we describe a cup as “honeyed,” we are describing a tasting note; Hashara’s ingredient list is 100% Ethiopian cascara. You can decide afterward whether you want to add a sweetener.
The other two cascara varieties build on that fruity starting point:
- Ganda pairs cascara with chamomile flowers. Consider it if delicate floral aromas and a gently fruity cup appeal to you.
- Harar combines cascara with cinnamon, ginger, and clove. Consider it if you enjoy an aromatic cup with warm spice alongside the fruit.
For a first tasting, try describing just one thing you notice: fruit, flowers, or spice. There is no need to identify a long list of flavors. Your own preference is more useful than finding the “right” tasting vocabulary.
Koti: start here for an earthy cup and botanical blends
Pure Koti contains Ethiopian coffee leaves. Its profile is earthy, smooth, and vegetal, with gentle sweetness. It is a good starting point if you want to explore the leaf on its own before choosing a blend.
Three botanical combinations offer different directions from that base. Koti + Lemongrass adds a bright citrus character. Koti + Hibiscus brings tartness and floral, fruity notes. Koti + Eucalyptus has a cooling aroma and an herbal finish.
Think about what you usually reach for when choosing a drink. If you like citrus aromas, begin with lemongrass. If a pleasantly tart cup sounds inviting, try hibiscus. If earthy and herbal flavors interest you, consider Pure Koti or the eucalyptus blend. These are starting suggestions, so let your first cup guide the next one.
The brewing difference that matters most
Cascara and Koti have different steeping instructions. Use one bag per 8–10 ounces of water for either family, then follow the timing for your particular variety.
- Hashara and Ganda: Use hot water and steep for 5–7 minutes.
- Harar: Use hot water and steep for 7–10 minutes to develop the spices.
- All Koti varieties: Start with water at 175–185°F, approximately 80–85°C. Steep for 2–3 minutes, then remove the bag.
Set a timer for your first few cups. Koti’s shorter steep is particularly worth keeping track of: longer steeping can bring out a more bitter taste. If you are brewing cascara and Koti together for a comparison, use separate timers or start the longer infusion first.
Our Koti instructions also allow one or two additional infusions with the same bag during your tea session. Add fresh hot water and steep for 2–3 minutes each time. Treat each infusion as another chance to notice the cup, rather than expecting every steep to taste identical.
Make your first comparison simple
Instead of trying all seven varieties at once, choose two. Hashara and Pure Koti make a useful first pair because each contains a single ingredient, letting you compare the cherry and leaf without added botanicals.
Brew each according to its own instructions, using the same amount of water. Let the cups reach a comfortable drinking temperature, and taste them without additions first. Ask yourself three questions: Which aroma do I prefer? Which cup feels more fruity or earthy to me? Which would I choose again tomorrow?
Write down a few words if you like. On another day, choose a blend from the family you preferred. This gives you a manageable path through the range without turning a cup of tea into homework.
Hot or iced—and a note on caffeine
Both families can be enjoyed warm or cooled and served over ice, following the product instructions. For your first iced cup, brew the variety as directed before cooling it. Taste before adding sweetener or other ingredients so you can decide what, if anything, you want to change.
All seven Ethi CO varieties contain naturally occurring caffeine from cascara or coffee leaves. A blend containing chamomile or another botanical is therefore not a caffeine-free drink. The product descriptions do not provide a measured caffeine amount per cup, so use flavor—not an assumed caffeine ranking—to make this tasting comparison.
Choose your first cup
Start with Hashara for a pure, fruit-forward introduction, Pure Koti for an earthy coffee-leaf cup, or a blend whose ingredients already appeal to you. If you would rather explore before settling on a carton, the Ethi CO Discovery Flight includes one bag of each of the seven varieties. Take them one cup at a time, follow their individual brewing instructions, and build your own list of favorites.