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Foundry Coffee Roasters - Kiunyu AA - Kenya

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From Lee @ Foundry Coffee Roasters:

We are delighted to bring you this wonderful Kenyan coffee. Except to be reminded of grapefruits, brown sugar and fresh berries. Crisp acidity gives this coffee a very pleasing zinginess and makes for a really refreshing cup. We're particularly enjoying this one as espresso and it even works well in milk. Of course, we roast for all brewing methods so we're sure you'll love it however you brew it!

Aeropress suggestion: 14.5g Coffee brewed at 97 degrees, add water to make a total beverage weight of 240g.

The Kiunyu factory is located in the Gichugu division of the Kirinyaga district close to the town of Kerugoya. It serves the Kagumoini, Kianduma, Kiambuku, Kiambatha, Gature and Kiamuki villages and is affiliated to the Karithathi Farmers Co-op Society along with the Kabingara factory. There are now 1100 active members of the Kiunyu factory which is managed by Matthew Nthiga along with 8 permanent staff members. Smallholder members each have on average around 1 acre of land for coffee growing alongside macadamia, beans, banana and maize. The area has deep, well drained and fertile red volcanic soil at altitudes of 1644 metres above sea level with 1400mm of rainfall annually. Smallholder members of this factory have access to training and technical advice in an effort to increase the yield.

The coffee is handpicked by the smallholder members and delivered to the Kiunyu factory where it is pulped. This initially separates the dense beans from the immature ‘mbuni’s (floaters) using water floatation which means the denser beans will sink and be sent through channels to the fermentation tank. This first stage of fermentation will last for around 24 hours, after which the beans are washed and sent to the secondary fermentation tank for another 12-24 hours. Once the fermentation process is completed, the beans enter the washing channels where floaters are separated further and the dense beans are cleaned of mucilage. The washed beans will then enter soaking tanks where they can sit under clean water for as long as another 24 hours. This soaking process allows amino acids and proteins in the cellular structure of each bean to develop which results in higher levels of acidity and complex fruit flavours in the cup - it is thought that this process of soaking contributes to the flavour profiles that Kenyan coffees are so famed for.

The beans are then transferred to the initial drying tables where they are laid in a thin layer to allow around 50% of the moisture to be quickly removed. This first stage of drying can last around 6 hours before the beans are gathered and laid in thicker layers for the remaining 5-10 days of the drying period. The dry parchment coffee is then delivered to a private mill and put into ‘bodegas’ to rest – these are raised cells made of chicken wire which allows the coffee to breathe fully. Coffee is traditionally sold through the country’s auction system, though recent amendments to the coffee law of Kenya have brought about the introduction of direct trading whereby farmers can by-pass the auction and sell directly to speciality roasters around the world. This coffee has been directly purchased by Falcon Speciality (Green bean importer) in the UK which brings better returns for the smallholder.

Farm/Coop: Kiunyu
Great for: Aeropress, Cafetiere, Espresso, Filter, With milk, With milk
Origin: Africa/Kenya - Ngariama, Gichugu Division, Kirinyaga District
Process Method: Washed - and sun dried
Varietals: SL28 and SL34

Roasterr: Foundry Coffee Roasters

Foundry Coffee Roasters does not deliver to United Kingdom


Initial collection: Foundry Coffee Roasters - Sheffield

Tasting record

Method Dose Grind Time Volume Comments
e.g. Espresso 18g Vario 1E 25secs 30ml A bit finer next time would be better.