April 2017 – Kenya Barichu Karatina AA
Coffee of the Month
We couldn’t be more excited to have big fresh Kenyan coffee in the house for Easter! With classic Kenya notes of blackcurrant and lime citrus, complimented by hazelnut and cherry cola with a syrupy mouthfeel.
It’s no secret that we adore Kenyan coffee, and our special release for Easter is no exception. The incredible quality of this coffee is testament to the passion, drive and vision of the Barichu Farmers Coop’s longstanding Chairman Daniel Mwago, who’s kinda like the Bill Gates of the Kenyan coffee world. This time last year we enjoyed the Barichu Gatomboya AA, another incredible coffee from this Coop and a huge favourite with our coffee drinkers.
Mwago takes a holistic approach to business, applying company slogan “Quality Coffee, Much Money, Quality Life” to everything he does. At 80 years old, he radiates an energy of which he credits to spending time with his grandchildren. On a recent visit to Kenya he told us that the wellbeing of the farmer is vital to producing incredible coffee: “I think most of our farmers when they go home they feel happy, and you can see the happiness in their family,” said Mwago. “This is what I call wealth. Wealth is not just having a car, wealth is having a beautiful life, in which you are happy in the community.”
We look forward to more great coffee from Barichu, but for now… let’s enjoy this spectacular coffee. Available as both an espresso and filter roast. Happy Easter!
Our Guest Taster
Andrew Fineran
Batch Brewery
Joining us as honorary Guest Taster is Andrew Fineran of Batch Brewery in Marrickville, Sydney. An American ex-pat, Andrew comes to us with a worldly wealth of knowledge when it comes to pinpointing flavours in beverages.
Andrew told us that drinking coffee and brewing beer pretty much go hand in hand… “It’s vital to start the day with coffee as it clears out your liver!” he said. He drew many comparisons between tasting beer and coffee, including the way in which aromas and flavours transform through different temperature phases. The difference being that coffee cools while beer warms to room temperature.
Andrew begins each day with a French press, sans milk and sugar, moving to a flat white from his local coffee shop, Campos Dulwich Hill, on the way into work. Upon tasting the Kenya Karatina AA, he identified an aroma of hazelnuts, burnt molasses and chocolate muffin. In the cup he tasted blackcurrant, blood orange, cherry cola and hazelnuts, with a syrupy mouthfeel.
The Cup
Flavour Cherry cola, Blackcurrant, Hazelnuts
Aroma Hazelnuts, Burnt molasses, Chocolate muffin
Acidity and body Blood orange, Syrupy mouthfeel, Lime citrus