Introducing Taste of Africa
You will receive not one, but three - 16 oz (that's one full pound each) bags of these carefully selected, best of the best African coffees. They are available in Ground or Whole Bean, depending on your preference.
1. Ethiopia Yirgacheffe AAA
2. Kenya AA
3. Zambia RFA AAA/AA Kateshi Estate Yellow Honey Processed
1. Ethiopian Yirgacheffe AAA
Region: Africa
Roast: Medium-Dark
Cupping notes: Lemon, Peach, Tangerine
Elevation: 5200-6400 feet
It is very likely that in and around this region is where coffee had its origins. Ethiopian Yirgacheffe is one of the best African coffees on the market today. Known for its consistent quality, smoothness with strong natural earthy notes. Yirgacheffe has a soulful quality that has to be savored to be fully enjoyed.
2. Kenya AA
Region: Africa
Roast: Medium, Dark
Cupping Notes: Brown Sugar, Lemon, and Raspberry
Our Kenya AA is deeply dimensioned with a powerful wine-toned acidity and full body. Its complexity includes fruit flavors alternating with spice. This coffee is another one of our favorites and possesses a very loyal following. Once you experience our Kenya, nothing else quite measures up.
Of all contemporary coffee origins, Kenya is undoubtedly the most universally admired. Both in the cup, and the way they run their trade, everything is top notch. The best Kenya coffees are not sold simply as generic AA or AB. Kenyan coffee beans are auctioned in Nairobi every Tuesday during harvesting season. They are specific auction lots sold to the highest bidder, and heated competition drives the prices up. In Kenya, their research and development is unparalleled. Their quality control is meticulous, and many thousands of small farmers are highly educated in their agricultural practice and rewarded for top level coffee.
3. Zambia RFA AAA/AA Kateshi Estate Yellow Honey-Processed
Region: Africa
Roast: Medium
Cupping Notes: Big body, nice fruity notes, sweet plum hops, floral, citric
Contrary to what the name may suggest, Honey-Processed does not involve the addition of honey. It's a process that basically naturally infuses the beans with the sweetness of the coffee cherry. It is a more time-consuming and thereby more costly process, but the difference is incredible.
THE PROCESS
Harvesting is done selectively and by hand. The harvested cherries are then double-handpicked to remove any under or over-ripes prior to pulping. The honey processed coffee uses a dedicated pulper which is pre-flushed to avoid any cross-contamination from other lots. After pulping, the coffee - still retaining its sugary mucilage - is moved immediately to specialized raised African beds with a fine netting conducive to mucilage retention as well as maximum airflow. Shade nets are used to protect against sun damage during the hottest periods of the day. The coffee is carefully raked throughout the day to prevent clumping and over-fermentation, and to ensure a consistent drying process. The honeyed parchment is dried for 9-14 days depending on the ambient conditions, after which it is transported to the dry mill for secondary processing.
This is an AAA/AA grade, Rainforest Alliance certified, Yellow Honey Process microlot from the highly esteemed Kateshi Estate in the Northern highlands of Zambia. At the Kateshi Estate, Coffee processing is an art form, performed with reverence and care. You can taste the difference in the rich, smooth and hearty cup.