Ngonyi AA
fully washed process
Region: Meru • Upper Eastern Kenya
Elevation: 1550 masl.
Varieties: Batian, Ruiru 11, SL28, SL34
Processing: fully washed
lightly honeyed aromas •citrus • ripe grape sweetness • black tea
Meru has an impressive and storied coffee-growing history. The region was reputedly the first county where indigenous Kenyans were able to grow coffee. The Kenyans growing coffee in Meru in the early 1930s paved the way for the more than 600,000 smallholder farmers who grow coffee in Kenya today.
Ngonyi Factory is one of the wet mills owned by Kianjuri Farmer Cooperative Societies (FCS), along with other wet mills including Gachiege, Gitugu, Ithima, Kiamiriru and Nthungu. Located on the eastern slopes of Mount Kenya, Meru County, this wet mill works with 800 smallholder farmers who deliver cherries for processing and marketing.
Thanks to optimal weather conditions and careful processing, this Fully washed lot stands out with a distinctive flavor profile. For this coffee, expect a beautiful combination of citrus and floral notes, along with a hint of black tea and white grapes.
Carlos believes in supporting his community and helping as many farmers as possible embrace specialty coffee. He has channeled his passion for traceability into an applicable that traces coffee from the day it is harvested to the shipping lot.
Smallholders selectively handpick only ripe cherries and deliver them to Ngonyi Factory. After intake, cherry is pulped and fermented for approximately 12 to 16 hours. Following fermentation, coffee is soaked in clean water for 24 hours before being moved to raised beds to dry.
Soaking is a step that historically was a method for ‘holding’ coffee in a stable environment until space was made available on the limited space available on drying beds during the peak of the harvest season. More recently, research has show that soaking can add points to the final cup score and, potentially, contributes to a cleaner brighter cup profile.
At the drying stage, the parchment is evenly laid and raked frequently to ensure even drying. Workers cover drying parchment during the hottest time of day to maintain slow, even drying and at night to shelter parchment from moisture. It takes approximately 15 to 21 days for parchment to dry.
225 grams • whole bean coffee
Roasted both for ESPRESSO and FILTER