We are happy that after last year’s great experience with coffee from Docha Farm we had the opportunity to buy coffee from here this year again. Last year you had the chance to taste our lot graded AA size. This year we purchased C size beans which we are roasting for you for espresso. The farm is owned by Danson Wanyutu with his brothers Geoffrey, Bernard and Eliud. The cherries were grown and then processed on the farm. The entire property lies at an altitude of between 1650 and 1850 meters and is only 15 kilometers from the capital of Kenya, Nairobi.
The brothers grew up on the farm and learned everything from their parents. Danson oversees most of the work that happens on the farm. They use manure from the cows and chickens they raise on the farm to improve the quality. They have been members of the Ngewa – Komothai group for many years and have worked with Sucafina to improve the quality of the grains they grow. Finally, they were able to work out enough to sell the coffee under their own name.
The Kiambu region has volcanic soil rich in minerals, which is very helpful for growing coffee. The farm grows the traditional Kenyan varieties SL28 and SL34. Danson has received training from Sucafina in agro-cultural practices including fertilization, pruning of branches and advice on plant regeneration, which helps him in keeping his small farm in good shape. Working with Sucafina for several years has helped him improve his farm’s yields and coffee quality.
Docha is one of the small farms that have been overlooked in Kenya until now. Traditionally, farms the size of Docha do not have their own processing station. Historically, they have always delivered coffee centrally to larger stations owned by cooperatives, where their cherries were mixed with cherries from other farms. Danson, with its own small processing station, is able to provide complete traceability of the beans, something we have not been used to with Kenyan coffees.
The processing process began with the beans being hulled in a huller 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 pulp. 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 barista’s note: Count on Kenya Docha being an espresso with a strong acidity which is better suited to longer extraction times. We found a slightly longer ratio of 1:2.3 to be useful in this recipe. Lactic acidity dominates the body and the body has a thick yoghurt texture. On the palate we found hints of raspberry and chokeberry. In the aftertaste you can find a taste of stracciatella yoghurt.
The coffee works pretty well with milk where it entertains us with its sweetness reminiscent of vanilla rolls. We recommend shortening the espresso in the milk drink to enhance its sweetness.
