Kenya Kirinyaga Peaberry Gakuyu-ini
Kenya Kirinyaga Peaberry Gakuyu-ini
Farm Description
Gakuyu-ini is a "factory," a coffee mill in Kenya terminology, from the Kirinyaga growing district that is to the west of Nyeri. Gakuyu-ini is a cooperative coffee, the sole coffee group of the Thirikwa Farmers Cooperative Society. It serves Githiru, Gituba and Mukure villages, and the actual mill is in the Gichugu Division near Kianyaga town at 1567 meters. While we like estate coffees, more often than not, the cup quality from cooperatives is superior. In a co-op, each member is tending to only 200-500 trees on less than a hectare, as opposed to a huge estate that uses agribusiness growing methods. I think it shows in the cup. We have a long history buying this coffee as well (both AA and the excellent Peaberries), and that increases our collective trust that this coop can pick and process coffee really well.
This coffee is part of our Farm Gate pricing program.Cupping Notes
A vividly bright Kenya with dynamic aromatics! The dry fragrance has a slightly winey grape note, red flame grape, sweet raisin, and plum pudding, with a touch of clove and allspice. Adding hot water, t wet aroma has flashes of fruit, apricot layered over fresh berry and black currant jelly. On the break there is a jasmine floral scent. What an interesting cup this is, rather delicate for a Kenya in some regards, but with unique, nippy accent notes. There are bright rose-like floral flavors, a bit of jasmine tea as found in the aroma, Bergamot citrus, Meyer lemon. The body is light but dynamic. When hot it appears to have all the flavors compacted into a very limited range with a crisp finish, but as it cools it really opens up and has a long and syrupy finish with sticky white grape and pineapple. Tea notes, jasmine, resiny hop flowers, malt syrup, and even a hint of nutmeg and cardamom emerge as the temperature drops.
Score
Lot Size
Roast Recommendations
City+ roast through Full City; It's exceptionally sweet in the lighter roast levels, and the acidity is not shrill, even at City roast.Processing
Varietal
Grade & Appearance
Packaging
Comments
#1 Kenya Kirinyaga Peaberry Gakuyu-ini
A coffee that reminded me of being in my mom's kitchen during her weekend-long holiday baked goods extravaganza. A cabinet full of spices with hints of nutmeg, clove and sweet summer fruit bread. Very well balanced with a great mouthfeel and a tame acidity.
The most striking part of this coffee is the length of the finish and how it tastes 15,30 and even an hour later as it lands at room temperature. It lasts for miles and leaves a jasmine tea like imprint on your mind. Yum.
#2 What are you roasting this on?
Hey Tim - Curious what you are roasting on, and what degree of roast you go for with the Kenyas in general, or this one in particular. This was actually the 3rd Gakuyu-ini lot of the year between SM and shrub, so I am going to visit them in Kirinyaga in early Dec to set up something for next year as well... -Tom
#3 Roasting
Tom-
I'm doing 10 pounds on a Probat 12 kilo with the shrub coffees. About as small as I like to go with a batch in this machine, I have good control and can still get accurate readings.
I've taken this Kenyan to 420 both times, which is 25 degrees off the early stages of 1st crack, 2:30 between 395 and 420 The roast coasts for the last 10 degrees with no input. No imposition of roasty notes and the acidity is in check but still a very integral part of the cup.
#4 Kenya Kirinyaga Peaberry Gakuyu-ini
Ran out of the first 44# and just ordered another 44. Was going to order the Kiambu to try instead but this is just too good not to get more before it's gone from Shrubs. (and can't afford both boo-hoo) Hey, gotta let this cup cool all the way to room temp and be rewarded with a dyno toasted coconut finish!
#5 Gakyuyu-ini
Just FYI: I have been cupping new crop lots from Kirinyaga already and there have been a couple nice lots of Gakuyu-ini. We have cupped around 10 lots from this "factory" and bought 3 in the auction. But OMG the prices this year are murder! Many are up $1 in the auction from last year. I don't know what is causing it, because I think quality is decent, but nothing extraordinary. We'll see how it goes when the Nyeri lots start hitting auction. But those might go through the roof. -Tom
#6 Gaky
I can't seem to get this coffee off the ground. I roasted lighter as Tim noted (C+) and the coffee was WAY to acidic - couldn't drink even after 5 days rest. So I tried a roast at FC+ and found it to be better but I'm having trouble getting it to a 93.5 - can anyone help shine some light on this? Roasting on an Ambex YM2 propane. I noramlly roast no more than 4lbs based on the ability to produce the needed BTU's from my gas set up. Perhaps it's my ramp up to 1c. I usually take a slower approach to 1c 11-13min. Tim - can you read temps acurately at 10lb batches on the L12? Is the 420 a good reading? Any signs of 2c in your roasts?
#7 roast problems
Hey Chris,
This is a really bright Kenya to begin with. You might be taking too long to get to 1c, the YM2 is pretty small and you can do a 4lb charge, but I've had really good results with doing an even smaller 2.5lb charge on that machine and aiming for roughly 10:30-12 minutes total roasting time. You might just be stretching it out a little too much, thinning out the body and and not developing the depth to support the juicy notes. I say try a smaller start weight and shorten the length of the roast.
#8 Kenya
Chris - I'll give it a try this weekend. I can speed up the roast by raising the drop temp some, say to about 410 or 420 and keeping the heat on full open. This will help reduce the time over all. Perhaps I can try the 2.5 lb approach first. Thanks Chris