Roaster's Tasting Notes: Apricot Fruit Leather / Oolong Tea / Honeysuckle / Lemon Curd / Orange Candy
Process: Washed
Varieties: Ethiopian Landraces
Roast Date: October 21
250g / 8.82oz
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This coffee comes from the remote and hard-to-reach (especially in the rainy season) kebele (town) of Koba. Located in the Uraga district of Ethiopia Guji Zone, the farmers of Koba belong to the Oromo people. They continue to practice ancestral customs and lead a quiet life that is largely built around coffee farming. Producers of this area are recognized in the specialty coffee community for their great dedication, ancestral coffee wisdom, and the phenomenal quality of the coffee.
Guji is one of the oldest coffee growing regions in Ethiopia. The mountain forests of Guji and Uraga are storied. The Ethiopian landrace varietals that flourish here in their native habitats are cherished. Altitudes are bonkers with farmers planted at 2300 meters above sea level around Koba. The soil in the area is highly fertile sandy loam with good water retention and drainage. Producers intercrop with other native trees based on the age of coffee trees and other needs. Such practices provide shade and nurtures an all-around healthy ecosystem that does not require fertilizers to achieve phenomenal quality.
There is a long chain of mountains that runs through the region which provides a diversity of altitude and terrain for coffee cultivation. Farms in the area are small and surrounded by forests of native trees and wildlife such as elephants and buffalo.
Kiri is part of a the larger Ngiriambu Farmers Cooperative Society. Member farmers are planted in mostly SL28 and SL34 cultivars. Farmers exercise best practices and are supported by the cooperative in areas such as planting materials, weeding, pruning, fertilizer applications, intercropping, mulching, and other technical advice.
Processing standards at Kiri are second to none. At intake, a Cherry Clerk oversees meticulous sorting. Only dense, ripe cherry is accepted. Post intake, coffee is pulped, fermented, washed, and soaked. The post fermentation soak is an extra step (largely) unique to Kenya. This step ensues that all fruit has been removed from the parchment before drying. Coffee was dried on raised beds. While drying, coffee is raked frequently and covered at night and the hottest parts of the day. These steps ensure even and stable drying and protect the coffee from sun and moisture damage.
Guji is one of the oldest coffee growing regions in Ethiopia. The mountain forests of Guji and Uraga are storied. The Ethiopian landrace varietals that flourish here in their native habitats are cherished. Altitudes are bonkers with farmers planted at 2300 meters above sea level around Koba. The soil in the area is highly fertile sandy loam with good water retention and drainage. Producers intercrop with other native trees based on the age of coffee trees and other needs. Such practices provide shade and nurtures an all-around healthy ecosystem that does not require fertilizers to achieve phenomenal quality.
