Dear coffee subscriber,
One of the highlights of the year for many of our subscribers and followers (myself included) is when the fresh crop Kenyan coffees arrive. These fruity and refreshing coffees are perfect for hot summer days and I simply love cooling them down and enjoying them cold. I am pleases to say that this years coffees from Kenya are far better than the past 3 seasons and it was a true pleasure to taste these coffees while I was in Kenya in February to select this years lots for our roastery. We bought many different and delicious lots, but I thought it would be great to send out a few lots that have very different flavour profiles. I really hope you will enjoy them.
I would also like to thank you all for your loyalty and also welcome all new subscribers. This month we set a new record in active subscribers and that is a huge compliment to our whole team that so many of you like our coffees and continue supporting us. Thank you.
Wishing you all a great summer from Tim & Team Wendelboe.
Kapsokisio (1st and 4th bag)
Flavour notes: Rose hips, hibiscus & red berries
Producer: Several smallholder farmers
Harvest: December 2022
Origin: Mt. Elgon, Kenya
Process: Washed
Cultivar: K7, SL28 & SL34
About 90% of the farmers who deliver cherries to the Kapsokisio wet mill grow the K7 cultivar, which means only about 10% of the coffee is SL28 and SL34 cultivars . This is probably one of the main reasons why the Kapsokisio coffees taste so different from the coffees from central-Kenya.
When we started buying coffee from Kapsokisio in 2012, the cooperative was struggling with drying capacity during the peak of the harvest, which is when the best coffees are processed. Therefore in 2013 we decided to invest in building new drying tables at the wet mill in order to increase the drying capacity at the factory. We managed to raise about $10 000 USD from our customers during our 6th and 7th anniversary that was donated to Kapsokisio in order to have new drying beds built.
In recent years I have had a hard time getting samples of their coffees but I finally managed to buy a delicious lot again this year and we are excited to be able to offer this coffee again.
Gachatha (2nd & 5th bag)
Flavour notes: Blackcurrants, mango & hibiscus
Producer: Several smallholder farmers
Harvest: December 2022
Origin: Nyeri, Kenya
Process: Washed
Cultivar: SL28 & SL34, Ruiru 11 & Batian
The coffees from the Gachatha wet mill has consistently been among the best coffees I have tasted in Kenya over many years and because they produce such consistent high quality there is a big demand for these coffees. Fortunately we managed to get our hands on a small amount this year and I believe the quality is even better than toe lot we purchased last year.
I have visited the wet mill several times and been amazed by how much training the cooperative gives to their farmers. They have their own demonstration plot at the wet mill where they can train their members in good agricultural practices and they also grow seedlings of both coffee trees and shade trees that are distributed to their members. Although most members are still growing the traditional SL28 and SL34 cultivars, we know that they have been planting the new hybrid cultivars Ruiru 11 and a lot of Batian in the recent years. Still the coffee from Gachatha has the recognisable intense fruity flavours that I think of when I dream about delicious Kenyan coffees.
Kagere (3rd or 6th bag)
Flavour notes: Intense, winey, blackberries & blackcurrants
Producer: Several smallholder farmers
Harvest: December 2022
Origin: Nyeri, Kenya
Process: Washed
Cultivar: SL28 & SL34, Ruiru 11 & Batian
Kagere produced one of my favourite Kenyan coffees in the 2021/22 season and I was so revealed that they also produced a phenomenal coffee during the 2022/23 harvest. It was like last year one of the stand out coffees during my selection process while I was in Kenya in February and in my opinion the overall quality in the 2022/23 harvest was far better than the year before.
If you love Kenyan coffees as much as I do, then this one is a real treat. It has a super refreshing and winey acidity that is balanced with intense “purple flavours” like blackcurrants, blackberries, red grapes and sour cherries.