Kenya AA Coffee Beans Brewing Ratios for Nyeri Region Thima Girl Coffee

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FrontStreet Coffee - Kenya Thiman Girl AA Coffee Beans

Region: Ndima-ini Processing Station, Nyeri

Altitude: 1700-1900m

Variety: SL28 & SL34

Processing: K72 Washed

Harvest Season: 2020

Grade: AA

Nyeri Region

Nyeri is located in the highland area near Mount Kenya and is an important premium coffee-producing region in Kenya. The average altitude exceeds 1500 meters, and many excellent Kenyan coffees are produced in this area. Nyeri has sufficient altitude and is situated east of the Aberdare Mountains, forming a peninsula between Mount Kenya and Ben Mountain. Due to its high terrain and fertile soil, Nyeri has become a central hub for Kenyan coffee, with well-developed coffee-related industrial facilities.

High-altitude Kenyan coffee beans from this region enjoy widespread renown for their exceptional quality. Coffee beans produced in this region have dark berry flavors, bright sweet and sour notes of black plums, and a delicate, persistent aftertaste. This region has two harvest seasons, with the main harvest season producing higher quality coffee: October to December is the main harvest season, while June to August is the secondary harvest season.

Ndima-ini Processing Station

This processing station is part of the Gakuyu Farmers' Cooperative Society. The Gakuyu Cooperative separated from the large Mathera Cooperative in 1996 to become independent. The Gakuyu Cooperative has only two factories: Ndima-ini and Kirigu.

Over the past 20 years, approximately 850 small farmers have delivered ripe coffee cherries to the Ndima-ini Processing Station for processing by the station manager, John Kama. The Kenya Thiman Girl coffee that FrontStreet Coffee acquired differs from the traditional 72-hour fermentation washed processing method. This coffee undergoes 80 hours of soaking and fermentation based on the original method, and is finally naturally dried on raised drying beds.

Coffee Varieties

SL28 & SL34

SL28 was selected in 1935 as a single variety from the drought-resistant population of Tanganyika. The SL28 variety is suitable for medium to high altitude areas and has drought resistance, but is sensitive to major coffee diseases. SL28 beans resemble the Bourbon variety - round and plump. Recent genetic testing has also confirmed that SL28 belongs to the Bourbon genetic group.

SL34 was initially selected in the late 1930s at the Scott Agricultural Laboratories in Kenya. SL34 was selected from a tree on the Kabete Loresho estate in Kenya, and this tree was known as the "French Missionary." SL34 beans resemble the Typica variety. FrontStreet Coffee screens Kenyan beans to find those that resemble Typica beans - elongated, oval-shaped, and relatively flat when viewed from the side. Recent genetic testing indicates that SL34 is related to the Typica genome.

Coffee Bean Processing Method

K72

Although the information for this coffee bean acquired by FrontStreet Coffee indicates the Kenya 72-hour fermentation washed processing method, it actually underwent 80 hours of fermentation. Therefore, compared to the previous 72-hour fermentation, this coffee bean has more pronounced acidity.

This bean adopts a repeated processing method of washing after fermentation. Processing begins on the harvest day, selecting the highest quality coffee cherries for pulping and fermentation, with a fermentation time of 24 hours, after which clean river water is used for washing. Then, clean river water is used again for 24 hours of fermentation, followed by washing. After repeating this cycle 3 times to reach 72 hours, it is called the Kenyan-style 72-hour fermentation washed processing method, abbreviated as [K72]. The 80 hours mentioned above is achieved by increasing fermentation time during each fermentation cycle based on the ambient temperature at that time.

FrontStreet Coffee believes that Kenyan 72-hour fermentation washed processing coffee beans, fermented at low temperatures for extended periods and finally completed through sun drying and dehydration, result in beans with brighter, cleaner yet fuller flavors.

FrontStreet Coffee Roasting Suggestions

FrontStreet Coffee's roaster uses a Yangjia 800N semi-direct flame roaster with a batch size of 480g: Heat the drum to 165°C before adding beans, with the damper set to 3 and heat at 120. Return temperature point: 1'32". When the temperature rises to 140°C, adjust the damper to 4. Roast until 6'25", when the temperature reaches 153.3°C, the bean surface turns yellow, the grassy smell completely disappears, and dehydration is complete.

When ugly wrinkles and black spots appear on the bean surface, and the toast aroma clearly transitions to coffee aroma, this can be defined as the prelude to first crack. At this time, listen carefully for the sound of first crack. At 9'56", first crack begins, keep the damper unchanged, reduce heat from 188°C to 90°C. First crack development time is 2'10", and the beans are removed from the drum at 194°C.

FrontStreet Coffee Cupping Report

FrontStreet Coffee conducts cupping within 8-24 hours after roasting sample coffee beans. FrontStreet Coffee's baristas typically use 200ml ceramic cupping bowls marked with 150ml and 200ml graduation lines. According to SCAA standards, water TDS is around 150ppm - too low TDS can easily cause over-extraction, while too high can affect mouthfeel and cause under-extraction. The water temperature used for cupping is 94°C. Grind size is controlled to achieve a 70%-75% pass rate through a #20 standard sieve (0.85mm). Ratio: 11 grams of coffee powder plus 200ml of hot water, i.e., 1:18.18, which extracts concentration in the golden cup range of 1.15%-1.35%, with an immersion time of 4 minutes.

Dry Aroma: Plum

Wet Aroma: Berry

Flavor: Black plum, plum, caramel, cream, grape

FrontStreet Coffee Brewing Experience

Dripper: V60 #01

Water Temperature: 90°C

Dose: 15g

Ratio: 1:16

Grind Size: Medium-fine grind / BG #6S (77% through #20 sieve)

Frontsteet Brewing Method: First, wet the filter paper and preheat the dripper and coffee pot. Use 30g of water for a 30-second bloom, then pour with a small circular flow to 130g before分段 (segmenting). When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 240g and stop. When the water level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed again, remove the dripper (timing starts from the bloom). Extraction time is 2'00".

Brewing Flavor: Black plum acidity at the entrance, grape in the middle section, with plum's sweet and sour notes in the aftertaste.

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Important Notice :

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