Crown Jewel Kenya Washed Ngomano Factory

Taste

Taste Analysis by Isabella Vitaliano  

How to get rid of the winter blues you ask? Kenya arrivals in the middle of the off-season seems like the perfect fix. Kenya has just landed in Royal’s Oakland warehouse, and they are ready to be delivered to your door. By the luck of the draw, or perhaps our phenomenal buying team, we have curated the perfect balm to winter blues, a fly crop Kenya with a cup quality to match the best of the main harvest season.  

Fly crop coffee is from the secondary harvest, often not as sought after by green coffee buyers. It’s known for its smaller yield and maybe not so good cup quality, but that isn’t always true, and this coffee proves it. A sweet and savory mix, imagine rose jam coupled with saffron, chamomile and slow roasted tomatoes. Depth in texture and lightness in flavor balance each other out to make a elevated experience. 

In other roasts we also found notes like clove, Meyer lemon, and kumquat. You get those classic Kenyan notes in a more elevated package with the tea like texture, citrus aromatics and sweet persimmon. Once saffron was uttered out of someone’s mouth, the collective nod of approval from the team confirmed that we all experienced that note in the coffee. A depth and complexity that is hard to mimic with other flavor notes. It tastes great on a range of brews and espresso shots per the exploration of this coffee by MJ and Marie in the brew analyses.  

Source

Source Analysis by Charlie Habegger 

Machakos county is one of central Kenya’s largest, beginning south of Nairobi and spanning northeast along the borders of Kiambu, Muranga’a, and Embu counties, some of Kenya’s oldest coffee producing areas. Machakos is lesser known than the highly competitive central counties of Kiambu, Kirinyaga, and Nyeri, and while it is commonly known as “Eastern” Kenya, it nonetheless is capable of producing excellent quality coffees, as it contains similar latitudes and elevations to the rest of the central area. Notably, Machakos produces a fly crop as well, so fresh crop coffee in the early fall is possible here. 

Ngomano Factory is the sole washing station in the Ngomano Farmer Cooperative Society (FCS). The producer group belongs to the Machakos Cooperative Union, an umbrella organization that represents 28 societies in the county and offers benefits to its member commonly provided by 3rd party service providers elsewhere in Kenya, including dry milling, farmer training, marketing, and subsidized farm inputs like pesticides, fertilizer, and fungicides. 

“45KF0153” in the title refers to this coffee’s “outturn” number. Outturn numbers are unique microlot codes that are given to each and every batch of parchment delivered to dry mills from individual factories or estates anywhere in Kenya and are the units on which Kenya’s entire microlot export system is built. Outturns in Kenya are tracked with a shorthand code that places the specific batch of parchment coffee in time, place, and sequentially with other coffees. Outturns are stylized as an 8 or 9-character code, including a 2-digit “coffee week” number, a 2-letter mill code, and a 3 or 4-digit intake number for the coffee’s delivery. So, this particular lot was delivered in harvest week 45, to the Kofinaf Coffee Mill (code “KF”) and was the 53rd delivery that week. This lot comes from Ngomano “fly crop”, a smaller secondary harvest common in many equatorial coffee producing countries that follow a secondary rainy season. Fly crop Kenyas are not as large or sought-after as the main harvest, but nonetheless can yield exquisite tasting coffee. 

Kenya is of course known for some of the most meticulous at-scale processing that can be found anywhere in the world. Bright white parchment nearly perfectly sorted by density and bulk conditioned at high elevations is the norm, and a matter of pride, even for generations of Kenyan processing managers who prefer drinking Kenya’s tea (abundantly farmed in central Muranga county) to its coffee. Ample water supply in the central growing regions has historically allowed factories to wash, and wash, and soak, and wash their coffees again entirely with fresh, cold river water. Conservation is creeping into the discussion in certain places–understandably in the drier areas where water, due to climate change, cannot be as taken for granted—but for the most part Kenya continues to thoroughly wash and soak its coffees according to tradition. The established milling and sorting by grade, or bean size, is a longstanding tradition and positions Kenya coffees well for roasters, by tightly controlling the physical preparation and creating a diversity of profiles from a single processing batch. 

Green

Green Analysis by Isabella Vitaliano  

This coffee has an extremely compact spread in green size at 17-16 range, which make up for 87% of the spread. This lot is comprised of a blend of four cultivars, SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11 and Batian, which are all used widely throughout the country, and some are known for good cup quality, disease resistance, or both.  

Water activity is below the average range, and the moisture content is a little bit below average as well. The density is well above average at 740 g/L on the Sinar. This is some of the highest ranges of density we see in coffee. The density, moisture and green spec readings make it a textbook case of an East African coffee that has been meticulously cared for during processing.  

SL34 is a typica-related genetic group according to genetic tests and was selected at Scott Labs in the 1930’s. It is known for its great cup quality and moderately high yields but susceptible to diseases and climate change. 

SL28 is a well-known cultivar in Africa and has a very good reputation for cup quality and resistance to drought. It does not fare well against major diseases in coffee but for the most part is durable and notable for its rusticity. The plant can be left alone for a few years but return to successful harvest production levels. Scott Agricultural Laboratories initially selected the cultivars and was a Laboratory that was established by the British government in Kenya in 1920’s. 

Ruiru 11 is a bit of a Frankenstein coffee with many progenitors to its genetics including K7, Timor Hybrid, Sudan Rume, N39, Sl28, SL34 and Bourbon. It was created in response to the coffee berry disease epidemic in 1968 and took 20 years to develop and release into the coffee sector of Kenya. This coffee was chosen because of its compactness and resistance to disease. Once finally released and cultivated, green buyers had a bad response to it due to its cup profile. Although specialty green buyers don’t love this crop, many farmers love it because of its resilience. It is difficult for the station in Kenya to produce adequate volumes of seed to meet the demand by farmers. Ruiru 11 relies on hand pollination for mass propagation, a slow and tedious process that limits production.  

Batian is well-adapted for small holders due to its resistance to diseases and pests. Coffee research Station created this cultivar in Ruiru, Kenya. In 2010 it was released to farmers, a late comer in the game. But it finds itself pretty popular due to its resistance, good cup quality and it being a tall plant which makes it easier for farmers to plant. It is a mix of three pure line varieties; Ruiru 11, SL4 and Timor Hybrid. 

Diedrich

Diedrich IR5 Analysis by Doris Garrido 

Kenya is one of the most appreciated coffees on the cupping table, always standing out, and a favorite of almost everyone, probably my favorite to roast, as I love to play with heat and Kenya’s do too. My approach was simple. I looked to highlight the acidity, as one does for Kenya. I aimed for the shortest drying possible to reach Maillard faster, which allowed me to get those vibrant notes. From there, I looked to slow the roast down to find the sweet, dried fruit notes I discovered during my initial sample roast. 

I used my medium-high approach with the drum being pre-heated at 437F (at 50% of its capacity). To build my energy during drying, I applied 70% of the heat within the first minute, as I wanted to feel how the beans were absorbing the heat. This resulted in a relatively fast turning point. Knowing that the beans could handle the heat, I cranked the gas to 85% and waited.  

I built most of my energy over the following three minutes before dropping the gas to 30%. At this point the roast began running a bit fast, so I cut the burners for just over 2 minutes, running with the pilot light only. This slowed the pace, allowing me to reach some of its sweet notes. However, it also slowed the development more than I intended. Even though I was concerned about stalling the roast, I hoped to extend the caramelization a bit longer. I was confident I’d captured the tangy, fruity and savory notes typical of Kenya, but also, I wanted a syrupy mouthfeel. At the end I bent the curve too much but before worrying too much I decided to wait for the cupping. 

The total roast time was 8:47. Half of the time was spent drying, followed by 2:36 in the Yellowing phase, which helped develop the fruitiness, and 1:44 in development to finish the sweet touch I was looking for. 

The results: A bright and vibrant touch, began with a warm chamomile that evolved into Earl Grey tea as it cooled. Then Meyer lemon appeared with tangy notes. Finally, the sun-dried tomatoes, the Kenya-Ish note very SL28/SL34. The jammy body and complexity provided by the clove notes, along with notes reminiscent of saffron, made it subtle, delicate, and incredibly yummy.

Aillio

Aillio Bullet R1 IBTS Analysis by Evan Gilman 

We use the RoasTime app and roast.world site to document our roasts on the Bullet. You can find our roast documentation below by searching on roast.world, or by clicking on the link below. Take a look at our roast profiles below, as they are constantly changing! 

At long last, another Kenya arrives! This one had me at first sniff on the cupping table, displaying some of the vaunted tomato characteristics in a very approachable way. Most of this first impression didn’t carry through to the cup, but to be honest I wouldn’t be disappointed if it had, because this was a sweet and light rendition that completely eschewed the usual canned tomato soup note.  

Anyhow, this coffee presented yet another pleasing experience, not only due to its density and consistent screen size, but also because of its robust and satisfying crack. I started this coffee off at a medium-high charge temperature of 464F, P8 power, and F2 fan. I kept this up until peak rate of change, where I increased fan to F3 and subsequently decreased power to P7. Reacting just as predicted, this coffee began its slow reduction in rate of change. No surprises here, and my next move was to increase fan to F4 as Maillard rolled along, and lowering power to P6 as first crack came in very early and very loud. I did want to keep this coffee fairly light to bring out all the bright and zesty tropical flavors, so my only other move was to increase fan to F5 just before dropping the coffee into the cooling tray at 8:58 / 392F.  

And what an elegant coffee it is. On the cupping table, the crew got buttery texture, caramelized peach, fig, and the ever-so-slight note of vine-ripened sungold tomato that really makes this coffee both a classic and a standout. For fans of Kenyan coffee, this one will hit the spot – even if you’re a tomater hater. Chug at will! 

You can follow along with my roast here at roast.world: https://roast.world/egilman/roasts/JvkaKOaQ1Qm49dkL8Z1Sg 

IKAWA

Ikawa Pro V3 Analysis by Isabella Vitaliano  

Our current Ikawa practice compares two sample roast profiles, originally designed for different densities of green coffee. The two roasts differ slightly in total length, charge temperature, and time spent between color change in first crack. You can learn more about the profiles here. 

On the low density roast of this coffee, it made the profile, sweet, tea like and a touch imbalanced. On the other hand, the high density roast was sweeter, fuller body, more expressive overall and had those classic Kenyan flavor notes.  

It’s not hard to imagine a coffee with a sky-high density reading tasting good on a high-density roast profile. But I was surprised that I really didn’t mind the low density roast, especially when it was hot, I almost preferred it. As it cooled the flavors really settled into one another and confirmed my suspicion of  

You can roast your own by linking to our profiles in the Ikawa Pro app here: 

• Roast 1: Low Density Sample Roast 
• Roast 2: High Density Sample Roast   

Brew

Brew Analysis by MJ Smith 

Anyone who knows me knows that Kenyan coffees are my absolute favorite, so you can imagine my excitement when I heard that we had a fly crop Kenya coming down the line! As I expected, this coffee did not disappoint. It tastes exactly the way that I imagine when I think of coffees from Kenya; a little caramelly and citrusy, a little tomatoey, and just all around delicious. Every brew we made had something to love about it, but the two I’m going to highlight today both have 19g dose and a 10-grind size. The difference being the brew device; one on a V60 and one on a Kalita Wave. Let’s get into them, shall we? 

First up, let’s start with the V60 brew. As I mentioned, it had a 19g dose and 10-grind. Additionally, it had a brew time of 4:00 and a TDS of 1.35, giving us an extraction percentage of 18.15%. As for tasting notes, this was a perfect blend of sweet, bright, and savory. We found notes of caramel, sweet tomatoes, oranges, peaches, and jasmine. It also had a bit of nectarine, marmalade, and allspice.  

Next, we have our Kalita Wave brew, with the same specs as before, but this one finished in 4:15. It had a TDS of 1.39 and an extraction percentage of 18.79%. In this one, we found some similar notes as before (salted caramel, orange, tomato soup), but it also had some new notes of sunflower butter, persimmon, apricot, and basil. I really can’t decide which shot I liked better! 

We also tried raising and lowering the dose on some additional V60 brews, and they were really delicious as well, but today, 19g really was the sweet spot. When we lowered the dose to 18g, it lost a bit of its body and was also a bit more savory. When we raised the dose to 20g, it got a bit heavy and slightly dry, but it was still pretty sweet and tasty.  

All in all, this is a spectacularly classic Kenyan coffee that could make any coffee drinker happy. It’s easy to dial and brew, and it tastes good pretty much however it comes out. We liked a solid medium dose and medium-high grind, but don’t just take our word for it! Get your hands on some today and try for yourself! 

Espresso

Espresso Analysis by Marie de Courcy 

We love Kenyan coffees here in the café, and this washed process from Ngomano Factory is no exception. Washed process Kenyan coffees really feel tied to the mid 2010’s trendy coffee profiles in my memory. Bright, fairly acidic, and slightly controversial; at the time many of us were just learning how vast flavors could vary region to region and even how much room there was for diversity within the same country. This coffee really reminds me of the first Kenyan coffee I ever had, tomatoey vegetal notes, bright citrus juiciness, and nutty/yeasty sweetness creating a very balanced but complex shot. 

The first recipe leans a bit on the heavier side, leaning into this coffee’s inherent sweetness. I used a dose of 20g, producing a 44g yield in 28 seconds. I tasted notes of confit tomato, puff pastry, peanut butter, and lime. The mouthfeel on this shot was very syrupy and the flavor was full bodied. 

The second recipe uses a dose of 19g, a 38g yield, extracted in 27 seconds. This shot was much juicier, and more delicate flavors came through. Fresh tomato, lemongrass, juniper, brown butter, and sparkling water were flavors we found. This recipe really showed off this coffees herbal and refreshing qualities. 

Overall, this coffee lends itself to tradition, truly a top tier example of something so familiar to us as coffee professionals. Kenyan coffees are unique in the sense that they can give you those big a-ha flavor moments, tasting tomato and delicate herbal notes, and they can also comfort you and make you feel at home, nuttiness and bright citrus, creating a balance reminiscent of the pastry you ordered to complement your espresso. For something full bodied and indulgent use a heavier dose and a large yield. For something a bit more mild and familiar use a moderate dose and a 2:1 yield. This coffee likes faster extraction times.