After two years, coffee from the Docha washing station has been added to our offer again. In the past we have tried almost all Kenyan bean sizes (AA, AB, C) from this station. For espresso, we liked the AB size the best and it is these beans that we have selected for you this year.
Farm / Processing Station:
Danson Wanyutu Karugondo and his brothers – Geoffrey, Bernard and Eliud – cultivate and process this Fully washed coffee on their farm, Docha Estate. The estate sits at 1,650 to 1,850 meters above sea level in Kenya’s Kiambu County, just a stone’s throw from Nairobi – 15 kilometers to be exact. The brothers grew up on Docha Estate and learned coffee production from their parents. Danson oversees much of the work and uses organic manure from his cows and chickens to improve the quality of their coffee. They were among the original members of the Ngewa-Komothai group and have worked with Sucafina/Kahawa Bora over the years on improving various aspects of their production. They have done such an amazing job increasing both yields and quality that they’re now able to market the coffee under their own names.
Kiambu county has deep red volcanic soils, rich in organic matter and perfect for coffee farming. Danson makes the most of this. The farm is planted with a mix of ‘traditional’ SL34 and SL28 coffee trees, and he works the farm himself – along with a bit of help – with great diligence. The ‘SL’ varieties were cultivars originally released by Scott Agricultural Laboratories (SAL) in the 1930s and 1940s. They soon became the go-to trees for many growers in Kenya due to their deep root structure, which allows them to maximize scarce water resources and flourish even without irrigation. Along with the more recently developed Ruiru-11, these varieties are virtually ubiquitous in Kenya today.
Danson receives regular training from Sucafina in Good Agricultural Practices, including fertilizer application, pruning guidance and renovation advice, which helps him to keep his small farm in optimal condition. His years of working with Sucafina has enabled him to improve yields and quality, and he looks forward to his hard work paying off by creating new relationships with roasters.
Variety:
SL28 is one of the best known and most respected African varieties. From Kenya, where it was originally selected in the 1930s, it has spread to other parts of Africa (it is particularly important in the Arabica growing areas of Uganda) and now to Latin America. The variety is suitable for medium to high altitudes and is drought tolerant, but susceptible to the main coffee diseases. SL28 is characterised by rusticity, a trait that means it can be left untended for several years or even decades and then return to successful production. Many parts of Kenya have SL28 trees that are 60-80 years old and still productive. The variety was selected at the former Scott Agricultural Laboratories (now the National Agricultural Laboratories, NARL, located in Kabete). The individual tree selections made at Scott Laboratories between 1935 and 1939 were prefixed with SL. There were 42 in total and they were examined for yield, quality and resistance to drought and disease. Recent genetic tests have confirmed that SL28 is related to the Bourbon genetic group. It has become valued for its sweet, complex flavour with vinous undertones.
SL34 was originally selected in Kenya in the late 1930s at Scott Agricultural Laboratories. It is very susceptible to major diseases such as coffee rust, hookworm and coffee berry disease. Therefore, proper disease control and prevention strategies are essential for its successful cultivation. Recent genetic tests have shown that SL34 is related to the Typica genetic group. The variety is known for its exceptional cup quality, full body and pleasant acidity.
Processing:
The processing began with the ded-pulping of the beans and continued with fermentation in water in a small tank for between 12 and 24 hours. This was followed by a thorough washing process to rid the beans of any remaining mucilage. All the water used to wash the coffee is then filtered so that it can be returned to nature and does not affect the surrounding bio-organism. The coffee beans in parchment are further soaked in water for 12 hours and then moved to African beds where they are dried for 14 to 21 days. Throughout the drying period, they are rotated regularly to ensure even drying.
Our baristas notes:
A full-bodied, dense espresso with high acidity. Our best espresso was at ratio 1 : 2.11 with a time of around 29 seconds. It has a medium to high citric-phosphoric acidity and a medium chocolate sweetness. In the coffee you can find notes of blackcurrant and grapefruit which are typical for Kenyan coffees. In the finish you can easily find the taste of chocolate. In the milk, the coffee is smooth and reminiscent of notes of linzer currant cake.
