KENYA redcurrant ∙ blood orange ∙ vibrant acidity
Gichuna is an estate coffee from Kenya consisting of SL28 variety only.
We recommend it to those who want to get familiar with the distinct taste of the variety or aim for superlative coffees.
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any people will notice a coffee coming directly from a Kenyan farm, as most of the coffee produced in Kenya is sold through co-operatives. Although smaller lots give about 40% of the country’s coffee production, they rarely reach the roasteries directly. A small farm means a size less than 20 hectares. We know about 3000 of these small estates, and another 300 plantations which are bigger in size. Although these small estates produce great coffees, the yields are most often randomly blended, and the processing methods are not always perfect. Bigger farms have better infrastructure, and are better managed, but their coffees usually do not have such complex flavour profiles as coffees offered by the co-operations. Luckily, there are exceptions such as Gichuna. Kenya is a country that offers intensive, well-balanced coffees with hints of berries. Sixty five thousand tons of coffee is grown in Kenya every year and more than half of this yield is supplied by about seven hundred thousand small farmers. The unique
flavour of Kenyan coffees can be mostly attributed to two things: the wet process used throughout the country and the two main coffee varieties grown on the farms. The SL28 and SL34 are arabica variants that were first bred by the Scot Laboratories. While SL34 is a highly drought resistant type and produces great yields, SL28 adds the rich, unique characteristic flavour to the Kenyan coffees.
Our coffees taste the best when extracted with water of the proper hardness* range. In order to highlight the best flavour of our roasts we recommend having 5 to 10 days of resting period after roasting, but consume within two weeks of opening. Enjoy!
Turning back to Gichuna, it consists only of SL28 variety. It was a 17-bag lot grown by Peninna Mwangi and his son Mburu with the help of about 30-100 pickers who helped during the harvest. Mr. Mwangin and his son manage and run the 51-hectare farm. Their motto is: sustainability and quality, which is easy to identify with. For those who like factual data: the farm is located at the altitude of 1580 metres, the red soil is volcanic and the annual precipitation is about 1300 mm. Nairobi is 60 kms by car, but the famous Coffee Research Institute can be reached in half an hour on foot. * Total hardness: 50 –175 ppm CaCO3 (2.9–9.8 °d), ppm CaCO3 (2.2–4.2 °d), pH: 6.5-8.0.
alkalinity/buffer: 40 –75 (The SCAE Water Chart)
photo by the CCS
GICHUNA