Kenya Guama Mill Peaberry is a special, auction lot coffee but these are not flat beans, but rather peaberries. A peaberry is produced when both halves grow into a cylinder or pearl shape instead of splitting in two. Peaberries typically occur in 3 – 5 % of coffee cherries and some farms separate them from flat beans so they can be sold separately, as a specialty. One of the features of peaberries is how they roast – they roll in the roaster and are less prone to scorching.
The Guama mill is a coffee cooperative located in the Kirinyaga region, east of Mt. Kenya. The coop serves roughly 1000 small farmers and is part of the greater Baragwi Farmers Cooperative Society Limited.
Varietals planted here are Bourbon hybrids SL28 and SL34, the most noted and common high grown cultivars in the Kenya coffee regions. Soil type is deep, red, volcanic and loamy. Growing elevation is 1600 to 1800 meters, or, 5250 to 5900 feet. This is shade grown coffee, with shade provided by Grevillia and other indigenous trees. Processing is traditional, fully washed. Coffee cherry has wet mill pulping (skin removal), undergoes natural fermentation in concrete tanks and canal washing. Drying takes place on screened tables, which keeps the coffee cleaner than on concrete patios and aids in even drying.
Kenya coffee is more expensive this year and harder to get. It has proven to be a difficult period with respect to weather and coffee production. Very heavy and sustained rains occurred months ago during the flowering of the coffee trees. Like most fruit, coffee trees have abundant small flowers and a coffee cherry grows wherever there was a flower. The rains, which were not typical for the season, disrupted the natural cycle of the plants, causing them to have a greatly reduced crop. In turn, prices spiked. Some importers suspended bringing in Kenya coffee altogether because of its higher price but we feel this is still a fair price for the quality produced.
We are fortunate to have found this nice auction lot which arrived in the US in late June from Kenya's main crop.
Cup Characteristics: Sweet papaya fragrance. Substantial body, jammy. Clean, layered cup with dry, winey but soft mouthfeel. Full, complex taste with good acidity.
