About This Coffee

This single varietal SL28 lot is from Gulmarg Estate in Kiambu, Kenya. The coffee has been grown 1950 masl and afterwards has been naturally processed. Here at Bean Brothers we have roasted it as medium light allowing the bright undertones to shine through.

Specialty natural processing is a rarity in Kenya, an origin traditionally dominated by fully washed processing alongside lower quality home-processed naturals. At Sasini, where Gulmarg estate is located, selected cherries are dried in the sun on raised African beds for up to 6 weeks. The cherries are carefully turned to ensure consistent drying process and prevent over-fermentation or mould formation, and are covered at night and during rain to protect against moisture damage.

Tasting Notes

Raspberry, grape, dark chocolate.

Growing Coffee in Kenya, Gulmarg

Gulmarg is a 145ha coffee farm first established by British colonists but is now one of 6 estates owned and operated by Sasini, a publicly listed company with a majority Kenyan ownership. Sasini’s estates have long placed an emphasis on equity and community. In the case of the estates’ workers this involves the provision of living quarters, early child education, union membership and guaranteed payment above minimum wage.

Kiambu county is located just outside of Nairobi city. The region has a long history of coffee production and is famous for its large estates, which were originally established by British colonists in the early 20th century.

After decolonisation the estates were sold to local Kenyans who have been managing them since. While estates such as this used to produce the majority of Kenyan coffee, the increased urban sprawl from Nairobi, as well as the increasing land value in the region has meant that estate coffee production has gradually diminished, while smallholder production elsewhere has increased. Nevertheless, estates such as these continue a legacy of many generations of coffee production, supported by unparalleled local knowledge and experience.

Kiambu has all the ingredients for arabica coffee to flourish: it is close to the equator, has iron rich, semi-volcanic soils, abundant sunshine and consistently high altitudes up to 2,000masl. The cool night time temperatures in these fertile highlands allows cherries to mature slowly, developing the acidity and complexity in the final cup.