Description
Washed Processed Kayon Mountain! Wonderful coffee but be warned this is different from the Natural Processed that just went out of stock. This is a non-fruity cup: floral, citric, semi-sweet chocolate and spice. It does have a bit of peachy acidity, but is not a fruited coffee like the other processing method.
The Kayon Mountain Coffee Farm is 500 hectares with about 300 hectares planted in coffee and has been owned and operated by Ismael Hassen Aredo and his family since 2012. It is located 510 kilometers south of Addis Ababa, and the property crosses the border of two villages—Taro and Sewana—located in the Oromia region, in the Guji zone of the Shakiso district of Ethiopia.
Ismael oversees a staff of 25 permanent full-time and 300 seasonal employees, and the farm management offers free transportation services as well as financial support for building schools and administration buildings for the community. The farm competes with a nearby mining village for seasonal workers, so Ismael and his family tend to pay higher wages to their pickers in order to incentivize them returning year after year.
Kayon Mountain farm has a nursery on-site and utilizes shade (acacia and other indigenous trees) to protect the coffee as well as for creating compost to fertilize naturally. Ismael is meticulous about not only the structure and management of the farm itself but also the harvesting and processing. Both Natural and Washed lots are produced on the property.
Tasting Notes: Very clean cup following the traditional Washed Ethiopian profile. Peachy aromatics add a wonderful layer of complexity. Lighter roasts have a sweet lemony citric edge balancing with a smooth semi-sweet chocolate undertone. Definitely has some floral characteristics that pop right out as well as some hints of spice that get accentuated into the fuller roasts. Medium roasts gentle out the cup, smooth most would say. Although it still retains hints of floral, the cup becomes more about the spicy tea like chocolate notes with some exotic aromatics. Darker roasts will be very low acidity and strong, not as smooth or exotic, but has a strong bakers chocolate note many will enjoy. Just touching 2nd crack is a sweet spot for the darker roasts fans to get that big chocolaty bittersweet cup without being too smoky.
Roasting Notes: Being a top grade fresh washed processed, these beans are pretty easy to get a good cup out of. Lighter roasting will be medium-high acidity, darker roasting low acidity. Low to medium chaff on the beans and even roasting. If you like those more fruity floral tones, error a bit lighter, more of a robust exotic chocolaty fan, error a little darker.
mjseibert08 (verified owner) –
This is an excellent Ethiopian. Very floral, nice acidity, and a hint of peach at a light roast. Roast super easy and even. I use a SR540 and dropped my roast 2min after the start of 1C. This was probably one of the best Ethiopians I’ve had. Hope they will continue to offer in the future.
Andrew –
Came out as a delicious light roast. Went about 30 seconds past first crack on the SR800 using the extension tube. Did a cupping one day after roast: very floral aroma, floral and citric flavors, body became juicy as the brew cooled down.
Joe –
this turned out delicious. i went 1 minute passed first crack on my sr800 and it was close to medium. very nice choco and strawberry flavor with floral notes. one of my favorites now.