Genesis‍

• Country: Kenya
• Region: Kirinyaga
• Varieties: SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11
• Altitude: 1,700 masl ~ 1,800 masl
• Process: Fully Washed
• Crop Year: 2024
• Exporter: Coffee Libre
• Exporter’s supplied notes: Blackcurrant, blackberry, grape, plum, sugarcane, chocolate
• Green bean price: $17.50 per kg (retail)

Sensory Score & Experience

• Fragrance/Aroma: 8.25
• Flavor: 8.5
• Aftertaste: 8.5
• Acidity: 8.5 (Medium-High)
• Body: 8.25 (Medium)
• Uniformity: 8.5
• Balance: 8.5
• Clean Cup: 8.5
• Sweetness: 8.5
• Overall: 8.5
• Total Score: 84.5 / 100

During cupping, the aroma revealed notes of blackcurrant, grapefruit, and caramel. As you start tasting, especially at higher temperatures, flavors like blackcurrant, grapefruit, lemongrass, and nectarine become evident. The acidity is medium-high, with a medium body and a silky mouthfeel. As the coffee cools, additional notes of lime, lemon, plum, molasses, brown sugar, and herbs emerge, creating a crisp and savory finish.

Roast summary  

• Roasting Machine: Easyster 4
• Batch Size: 1,010 g (2.23 lbs)
• Output Weight: 886 g (1.95 lbs)
• Weight Loss Rate: 12.3%

Roast profile

When roasting this Kenya coffee from Kirinyaga, there are a few critical factors to consider. The profile was designed with the origin (Kenya), the fully washed processing method, and a light target finish temperature in mind. I set a high gas pressure to achieve the desired profile.

From experience, fully washed coffees from regions like Kenya require a higher gas pressure to fully develop their flavors. To manage this while still maintaining control over the total roast time, it's essential to start with a lower charge temperature. One key challenge with fully washed beans is that after the first crack, the BT RoR tends to drop sharply, which can make it difficult to reach the desired drop temperature. This is something to be mindful of when designing your roast profile.