Introduction to Endebess Estate, Kenya - Kenya Coffee Estate Introduction

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Yes, FrontStreet Coffee knows that many people don't like coffee with particularly prominent acidity, but prefer coffee with rich body and nutty chocolate flavors. Kenyan coffee is the kind that leaves a lasting impression with its acidity. Although it's known as a washed processing origin, other processing methods do exist. After all, washed Kenyan coffee is what most people are familiar with. So, do you know what sun-dried Kenyan coffee tastes like? Let's find out!

Kenya

Kenya's climate and geographical conditions provide unique advantages for growing high-quality coffee beans. Located in eastern Africa with the equator crossing through its center and the Great Rift Valley running north to south, Kenya borders Somalia to the east, Tanzania to the south, Uganda to the west, and Ethiopia and Sudan to the north. It has a 536-kilometer coastline along the Indian Ocean to the southeast. The country consists mainly of plateaus with an average altitude of 1,500 meters.

Mount Kirinyaga (Mount Kenya) in central Kenya reaches an altitude of 5,199 meters with snow-covered peaks, making it Africa's second-highest mountain. The entire region lies in the tropical monsoon zone, but due to its higher elevation, it experiences a tropical savanna climate with significant seasonal precipitation variations.

The coastal areas are hot and humid, while the plateau regions have a mild climate. The highest annual temperature ranges from 22-26°C, while the lowest ranges from 10-14°C. Kenyan coffee beans are a local pillar industry, with most Kenyan coffee growing at altitudes between 1,500-2,100 meters, harvested twice a year.

Its main characteristic is distinct fruit aromas, commonly citrus notes. Most Kenyan coffees have multi-layered flavor profiles with juice-like acidity, grapefruit and wine-like flavors, and moderate body.

The Great Rift Valley

The Great Rift Valley, located in eastern Africa, is a geographical wonder formed 35 million years ago by crustal movements of the African plate. This massive rift running through East Africa is the world's largest fracture zone and represents a divergent boundary.

The Great Rift Valley includes the Cherang'any Hills and a series of volcanoes, some of which remain active. The Cherang'any Hills are one of Kenya's five major forests and water catchment areas, spanning three counties.

Endebess Estate is located at the foot of Mount Elgon, an extinct volcano on the border between Uganda and Kenya.

Endebess Estate is located in the northern part of Kenya's eastern Rift Valley, near the town of Kitale in Trans Nzoia County. With a total land area of approximately 758 acres, of which 248 acres are planted with coffee. The Natural processing method uses fresh water from the Koitobos River for thorough washing, followed by drying on raised beds. Depending on weather conditions, drying typically takes 21 to 28 days. The beans are turned at least four times daily.

The Rift Valley contains the Cherang'any Hills and a series of volcanoes, some of which remain active. The Cherang'any Hills are one of Kenya's five major forests and water catchment areas, spanning three counties: Trans Nzoia, Elgeyo Marakwet, and West Pokot. Endebess Estate farm is located at the foot of Mount Elgon, an extinct volcano on the border between Uganda and Kenya.

As early as the 1940s, Endebess Estate was processing its own coffee as well as that from neighboring small-scale producers. It was once owned and managed by Mr. EW D'Ollier and was sold to Gatatha Farmers Co Ltd in 1976, then sold again in 2011 to its current owners and managers, Kaitet Tea Plantations. Kaitet Plantations focuses on employee welfare and social responsibility. The farm has funded 15 housing renovation projects, sponsored two high school students, and hopes that once the farm becomes more profitable, their social responsibility programs will expand. In the short term, Endebess Estate is improving its infrastructure certification status.

Processing Method

This micro-batch coffee uses natural processing, completely relying on natural climate conditions. The sun-drying method gives these beans a rich body and sweetness.

The natural process is the oldest and most traditional processing method for coffee beans. Compared to washed processing, coffee processed this way is also called "natural coffee" or "sun-dried coffee." The harvested coffee cherries are dried directly in sunlight for about two to four weeks.

1. Harvest mature coffee cherries

2. Initial sorting to remove impurities and defective beans

3. Floatation screening: Coffee cherries are poured into water tanks. Mature, full cherries sink to the bottom, while immature or damaged cherries float to the surface.

4. Sun-drying

The mature coffee cherries that sank to the bottom are removed and spread on drying patios for sun-drying, reducing moisture content from 70% to about 10-12%. The cherries must be turned several times daily for even drying, and covered at night to prevent moisture absorption.

5. Removal of outer hull: After about two to four weeks of sun-drying, the outer layers of the coffee seeds become dry and hard. At this point, a hulling machine is used to remove the outer layers, completing the process.

Kenyan Endebess Estate

Kenya · Endebess Estate

Region: Northern Rift Valley

Altitude: 1750-1950m

Processing Method: Natural

Grade: AA

Varieties: SL28, SL34

Roast Curve Analysis

Roaster: Yangjia 800N (300g batch size)

Preheat roaster to 180°C, load beans with heat at 130 and damper at 3. Return temperature at 1'42". When roaster temperature reaches 140°C, open damper to 4. When temperature reaches 146°C, beans turn yellow and grassy aroma disappears completely. When temperature reaches 166°C, reduce heat to 100, damper unchanged.

At 7'25", ugly wrinkles and black spots appear on bean surface, toast aroma clearly transitions to coffee aroma - this can be defined as the prelude to first crack. Listen carefully for the first crack sound. At 8'20", first crack begins. Reduce heat to 70, damper unchanged. Develop for 1'45" after first crack, unload at 194°C.

Agtron bean color value 73.4 (above image), Agtron ground color value 81.7 (below image), Roast Delta value is 8.3.

Cupping & Flavor

Flavor: Cherry tomato, black plum, lemon, caramel, cream, black tea

Brewing Parameters

Recommended brewing method: Pour-over

Dripper: V60

Water temperature: 90-92°C

Coffee-to-water ratio: 1:15

Grind size: Medium-fine, similar to fine sugar consistency (Grind level BG-5R (Chinese standard 20-mesh sieve pass rate 60%))

Brewing technique:分段式萃取 (Segmented extraction). Use 30g of water for bloom for 30 seconds. Using small water flow, pour in circles to 125g, then segment. When water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 227g and stop. Wait for water level to drop and is about to expose the coffee bed, then remove the dripper (timing starts from bloom). Extraction time is 1'54".

Flavor: Aroma of caramel, entry with cherry tomato and black plum notes. As temperature slightly cools, lemon acidity and cream smoothness emerge. Aftertaste has black tea characteristics with a sweet, lingering finish.

Important Notice :

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