Uganda - Sipi

Description

Sipi, Mount Elgon, Uganda | Washed | Seasonal The Story The Process The Cup Recipes Uganda doesn't always get the recognition it deserves in specialty coffee, but the slopes of Mount Elgon have been quietly producing some of East Africa's most compelling lots for years. This is one of them. This coffee comes from Enimiro, a sourcing project working with 231 smallholder farmers across eight zones in the Bulambuli and Kapchorwa districts, all growing at elevations between 2,000 and 2,300 meters. Cherries are delivered to the Sipi Washing Station, named after the area it sits in, a lush, highland region known for its waterfalls and cool mountain climate. The lot is named Obua, after Isaac Obua, Enimiro's Assistant Coffee Production Head, who oversees daily processing from red cherries all the way through to export-ready green beans. It's a small but meaningful gesture, naming a coffee after the person whose hands shaped it. Enimiro is part of The Coffee Gardens project, built on the conviction that great coffee and genuine impact at origin aren't separate goals. 26% of the farmers in the program are women, supported by lead farmers who coordinate quality and collection throughout the season. This lot is fully washed, processed at the Sipi Washing Station using cold mountain spring water drawn directly from Mount Elgon. After selective picking of ripe red cherries, the coffee is pulped and undergoes a gentle 40 to 60-hour submerged fermentation in cold water, a slower, more controlled approach that preserves clarity and brightness in the cup. The coffee then passes through grading channels, where it is separated by weight and density to remove any defective beans. Drying takes place on African raised beds, either on sheltered outdoor beds or inside greenhouses, depending on conditions. The high altitude and cool nights of the Elgon slopes create ideal conditions for slow, even drying, and for the kind of precision that shows in the cup. Bright, layered, and refreshingly complex, a washed Uganda that surprises. The cup opens with blackcurrant: deep, juicy, and instantly vivid. Kumquat follows with a sharp citrus brightness that keeps things lively. Cola gummies bring a playful sweetness and a soft effervescence in the mid-palate, before a long finish of black tea, clean, slightly tannic, and quietly elegant. The kind of cup that rewards attention. Complex without being demanding, and endlessly drinkable. Please note that our recipes are just guidelines of how we like to brew these coffees. Grinders, water, and equipment are some of the variables that could change the end result. Take these recipes as starting points, not absolute goals. Filter coffee: We brew this coffee on a plastic V60, with CAFEC ABACA filters and Third Wave Water light roast water. Use 15g of coffee, water at 92°C, and a medium grind size. 0:00 – Bloom with 50g of water for 45 seconds. 0:45 – Pour 100g of water in a circular motion. 1:25 – Pour final 100g of water. Total brew time should be around 2:15 to 2:30. Enjoy the coffee! Origin: Uganda, Mount Elgon (Sipi) Washing Station: Sipi Washing Station (Enimiro / The Coffee Gardens) Process: Washed Altitude: 2,000–2,300 masl Varietal: Nyasaland, SL14 & SL28 Tasting notes: Blackcurrant – Kumquat – Cola Gummies – Black Tea