What Is Koti? Ethiopian Coffee Leaf Tea Guide

Koti is Ethi CO’s Ethiopian coffee leaf tea: an infusion made from the leaves of the coffee plant. Our Pure Koti uses hand-picked, sun-dried Ethiopian coffee leaves for a smooth, earthy cup with subtle natural sweetness.

If coffee cherry tea introduced you to the fruit, Koti invites you to explore the leaf. Brew a cup, take in its gentle vegetal aroma, and discover another expression of the plant behind your everyday coffee.

What is coffee leaf tea?

Coffee leaf tea is made by preparing coffee leaves and infusing them in water. It comes from the coffee plant, while familiar black and green teas come from the tea plant, Camellia sinensis. The word “tea” here describes a leaf infusion.

Three different parts of the coffee plant offer three experiences:

Coffee beans: the seeds inside the coffee cherry, usually roasted and brewed.
Cascara: the dried skin and pulp of the coffee cherry, brewed as coffee cherry tea.
Koti: coffee leaves prepared as a leaf infusion.

For the fruit side of the story, read our guide to cascara coffee cherry tea.

A living Ethiopian tradition

Coffee-leaf beverages are part of everyday life in several Ethiopian communities. Research from Addis Ababa University documents leaf infusions consumed in Sidama, Kambata and Harar. A household study in the Gofa Zone of southern Ethiopia also describes coffee-leaf brewing with varied herbs, spices and preparation methods. Read the university research or explore the Gofa study.

Names and recipes vary by community; Kuti is one name recorded in the literature. That diversity matters. Ethi CO uses the name Koti for our coffee-leaf range, offering pure leaf and botanical blends in convenient brewing bags. Our products are our own expressions of coffee leaf, rather than a single recipe representing every Ethiopian tradition.

What does Koti taste like?

Pure Koti is earthy, smooth and vegetal, with gentle sweetness. Start with it if you want to get to know coffee leaf on its own. Botanical blends add citrus brightness, tart fruit-like notes or a cooling aromatic character.

Coffee leaf has its own range of aromas. A study of leaves processed in El Salvador identified aroma compounds associated with floral, honey-like, fruity and grassy notes. These findings help illustrate the leaf’s possibilities; the study did not test Ethi CO products. Read the coffee-leaf processing study.

Does Koti contain caffeine?

Yes. Coffee leaves naturally contain caffeine. Research has found differences between coffee-leaf samples, including effects associated with leaf type and variety. Your serving size and preparation also affect the cup you brew.

Ethi CO’s coffee-leaf teas have not been laboratory tested for exact caffeine amounts. We therefore do not give a milligram figure or promise a fixed caffeine level compared with coffee or other teas.

How to brew Pure Koti

Start with water at 175–185°F (about 80–85°C) and a short steep. Adjust within that range to suit your taste.

Place one bag (2 g) in a cup.
Add 8–10 fluid ounces of water at 175–185°F (about 80–85°C).
Steep for 2–3 minutes, then remove the bag. Longer steeping can bring out a more bitter taste.
Reuse the same bag for one or two additional infusions during your tea session. Add fresh hot water and steep again for 2–3 minutes, adjusting to taste.

Enjoy warm, or cool and serve over ice. Check the serving size for your chosen blend.

A gentle approach to sun-dried coffee leaves

Give our sun-dried Koti the care you would give a specialty green tea: start with water at 175–185°F (about 80–85°C), steep for 2–3 minutes, and remove the bag before a longer infusion brings out bitterness. Explore the same leaves over one or two additional infusions during your tea session, noticing how the flavor changes.

This recommended starting range follows a gentle brewing approach. For comparison, Harney & Sons recommends 175°F for green tea, while Art of Tea describes a broader, hotter range for oolong. Coffee leaf and green tea come from different plants; the comparison is about the care taken in brewing.

Find your Koti blend

Pure Koti: smooth, earthy coffee leaf with no added botanicals.
Koti + Lemongrass: bright citrus aroma alongside the leaf’s earthy character.
Koti + Hibiscus: a tart, colorful variation.
Koti + Eucalyptus: an aromatic blend with a cooling character.

For a first tasting, compare Pure Koti with one botanical blend. Notice what stays familiar in the coffee-leaf base and what the added ingredient brings. A sampler gives you a way to explore all four.

Explore Ethiopian coffee leaf teas and Koti samplers.

Return to Learn for more of the story beyond the bean.