Roaster's Tasting Notes: Rooibos Tea / Huckleberry / Meyer Lemon
Process: Washed
Varieties: SL28 / SL34 / Ruiru 1 / Batian
Roast Date: march 6th
340g / 12oz
duck-rabbit is located in Cleveland, Ohio
From duck-rabbit
Nguku is a cooperative mill in Muranga County. It is one of four coops under the Kahuhia Coffee Growers Cooperative Society umbrella. In all, Kahuhia has about 3,000 members. Nguku members are small holder coffee farmers, most with under 1 hectare of land planted in coffee. Member farmers are situated on the western slope of the Aberdare mountains. The geography and climate are well-suited for high quality coffee production. Growing altitudes are high at 1,700 to 1,900 meters above sea level. The red volcanic soil is nutrient rich and well-draining, and the weather is relatively cool.
Farmers selectively hand-pick and delivery coffee to Nguku same day. Coffee is inspected and sorted at intake by a cherry clerk. Only the ripest cherries are processed and nothing subpar is accepted. From intake coffee goes straight to the pulper. Pulped cherry is fermented and then washed. Parchment goes onto skin drying tables where excess water falls off before being moved to raised beds to finish drying. Great care is taken at Nguku during drying. Coffee is turned regularly to ensure even drying and it is even covered during the hottest part of the day and through the evenings to prevent cracking and condensation. Dry times are usually around two weeks.
Kenya is known for its high standards in processing and extremely high quality coffee with big acidity, sweetness, and high complexity. This lot definitely lives up to Kenya's reputation and delivers an impressive cup in ways that only a Kenya coffee can. The cup is sweet and clean with mouth cleansing acidity. Sweetness is out front and comes off like partially refined sugars, think demerara and sucanat, and flavors are reminiscent of rooibos tea with top notes of tart huckleberry and Meyer lemon.
