Kikai PB, Kenya

Description

Origin: Mount Elgon, Bungoma County, Kenya Roast: Filter - light roast Flavour Profile: Black cherry, vanilla, raspberry candy, chocolate cake. Smooth and Balanced. Growers: About 2,400 smallholders Process: Washed Varieties: SL 28, SL 34, Ruiru 11 Altitude: 1,700 metres above sea level Importer: Condesa Kikai Farmers' Cooperative Society On the southern slopes of Mount Elgon, near the Kenya-Uganda border , the Kikai Farmers Cooperative Society traces its roots back to 1959 when the first coffee trees were planted. Today, the cooperative represents over 2,400 members who each manage a small plot of land. The farmers hand-pick their cherries and deliver them to the wet mill on the same day. The coffee is then sorted, washed with river water, and sun-dried on raised beds. To consistently improve their crop, the cooperative has maintained a partnership with management experts since 2011 to increase yields and refine their production. What does PB mean? In Kenya, the letters PB written after a wet mill or factory name stand for Peaberry. This refers to a specific coffee grade based on a natural mutation where a cherry produces a single, rounded bean instead of the usual two flat seeds. During the milling process, these unique beans are sorted out from the rest of the harvest and separated into their own distinct lots, which are often prized by roasters for their density and concentrated cup profile.