Kenya Premium Kirinyaga – Inoi F.C.S. – Top Lot AB

Description

This is an AB top lot. Meaning it is one of the tastiest lots the mill produces but average size beans.

Kaguyu Factory is located near Kerugoya town in the Ndia division of Kirinyaga county, and services 850 smallholder farmers, who grow an average of 200 trees per farm. The most common varieties are typical to Kenya: SL-28, SL-34, and Ruiru 11. The farms in this area have red volcanic soil, and the producers also grow tea, bananas, and corn on their plots, under shade provided by macadamia, eucalyptus, and gravellea trees.

Coffee is here picked ripe and brought to the factory for depulping, washing, and soaking; farmers receive training every year from the factory manager, and “field days” hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture and agrochemical companies. The factory’s water comes from the Rutui river, and there are four soaking pits for recycling and purifying the water.

Tasting Notes: A very cool and bright cup of coffee! Strong citrus at the lighter roasts comes off pretty lemony and buzzy with strong floral notes balanced with a clean and not overly herbal tea like (spice) chocolaty undertone. A little hint of caramel can be found but is pretty easily overpowered by the acidity depending on your roast curve. As the beans roast darker the chocolaty factor becomes very strong and semi-sweet with the body of the cup turning much fuller, reducing the acidity nicely and creating a bit more balance in the cup. Roasts into 2nd crack will be very potent and smoky semi-sweet cups.

Roasting Notes: Like most stand-up lots, this coffee holds the lighter roasts very nicely but will have strong acidity – light roasts will only be for those who love the Kenyan acidity. As one slows down the roast or pushed more to the medium mark, the cup balances out better yet still provides an exotic cup with clearly present acidity. The brighter tones will burn out around 2nd crack but the potency of the cup will only increase into the dark roasts.

*Brewing note – Kenyans like these can be very potent cups, for many, scaling back how much coffee you use can provide a much more drinkable cup where more identifiable flavors can be found.

Kirinyaga coffee always holds a special place in my heart. My earliest coffee memories involved Kirinyaga coffee. Garry (well before Burman Coffee was in existence) was always a coffee head, I remember helping my mother make him pour overs of his favorite brew when I was only a couple feet tall. Golden Kirinyaga coffee from Victor Allen was his premium special coffee, not an everyday item, but one for special occasions. Even back then Kenyans were very expensive and rarer coffees. I remember the first fathers day I was actual able to buy him something myself from saved money, it was a bag of Golden Kirinyaga coffee. We later worked with Victor on/off with Burman Coffee over numerous coffees and origins (including Kirinyaga) but unfortunately Victor left this world late last year. Here is a cup to you Mr. Allen!