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Kenya

Alex Mwangi

A crisp and citrus forward single farm lot from Kenya, grown by Alex Mwangi near the town of Mukurweini


  • Like our previous Gakira lots from John Michuki, this lot is part of Belco’s Hands On Coffee project.
  • Coffee expression
    A fruity & acidic coffee
  • Whole Bean Coffee
    250g (8.8oz) or 1000g (35.3oz)
More
Regular price
$22.00

incl. vat/tax

Sale price
$22.00

incl. vat/tax

Regular price
$22.00
Sold out
Unit price
per 
Out of season
Notify Me When Available

Producer
Alex Mwangi

Varietal
SL28

Process
Washed

Grown near the town of Mukurweini, where we have purchased several lots in the past.

Nyeri

Alex Mwangi

Alex Mwangi produces coffee on a small estate in the region of Nyeri, not far from the town of Mukurweini. Alex previously worked in a solar panel manufacturing facility, but left 15 years ago to pursue a career in coffee production. He initially joined a local association, but was always looking to process his own coffee. After only 2 years, he took the plunge and built his own small wet mill on the estate, and has continued to look for new ways to differentiate himself, and gradually improve the coffee production industry in Kenya. It was this drive that led Alex to work with Belco’s ‘Hands On Coffee’ project, to create coffee in a less impactful way.

A citrus forward profile, with underlying berry notes and a rich caramel sweetness.

Kenya

The Hands On approach

Due to the dominance of the washed process in Kenya, and the many floating, sorting and soaking steps they often use, the water usage here is incredibly high, much higher per kilo of coffee produced than any other country we buy coffee from. Kenyan cooperatives also often have affiliations with large fertiliser companies, giving members subsidised and direct access to chemical fertilisers and pesticides, meaning these are often used to a very high degree in the Kenyan coffee lands. The system of grading, where large bean size ‘AA’ lots fetch the highest prices, also lead many producers to fertilise very aggressively in order to grow larger fruit, and therefore increase their income. All of this leads to a great deal of contaminated waste water from processing, and runoff of fertiliser from farmlands. If not dealt with carefully, this can be catastrophic for vital Kenyan groundwater supplies. This is part of what the Hands On Coffee project aims to change. They often work with individual producers rather than on a cooperative level, meaning less influence from large fertiliser companies, and more traceability. Furthermore, they are championing the natural process as a method of increasing quality, creating a point of difference in a washed coffee dominated market, which in theory leads to higher prices.

They have implemented much more careful drying processes both for washed and natural lots, with the project financing expanded drying beds, plastic protection from rains and high sun, and moisture meters for consistency. The importance of ventilation and temperature control during drying was emphasised using this new equipment, leading to more consistently and carefully dried coffees. This is a huge factor in processing natural coffees, alongside a constant need for sorting and harvesting consistently ripe fruit.

Technical Data

  • Producer

    Alex Mwangi
  • Region

    Nyeri
  • Altitude

    1800 masl
  • Varietal

    SL28
  • Process

    Washed
  • Harvest

    December 2020

Washed Process

The washed process involves completely removing both the cherry and the mucilage from the outside of the parchment with the use of friction, fermentation and water. After being harvested, the coffee cherry is then sliced open by either a metal or a sharp plastic blade.

The two seeds (also known as beans) are pushed out of the cherry, which leaves the seed with mucilage as their outermost layer. It is essential in the washed process that all mucilage is removed from the seed which leaves only the flavour that developed in the cell structure of the seed prior to processing.


Opening Hours

East Village Bakery - NYC

152 2nd Ave

10003 New York

United States

Opening Hours:

Mon - Fri: 7:00 - 18:00

Sat - Sun: 8:00 - 18:00

Soho - NYC

284 Lafayette St

10012 New York

United States

Opening Hours:

Mon - Fri: 7:00 - 18:00

Sat - Sun: 8:00 - 18:00

Graven - Aarhus

Graven 20

8000 Aarhus C

Denmark

Opening Hours:

Mon - Sat: 8:00 - 18:00

Sun: 9:00 - 17:00

Borggade Bakery - Aarhus

Borggade 4F

8000 Aarhus C

Denmark

Opening Hours:

Mon - Sun: 7:00 - 17:00

Møntergade - Copenhagen

Møntergade 3A

1116 Copenhagen K

Denmark

Opening Hours:

Mon - Fri: 8:00 - 18:00

Sat - Sun: 9:00 - 17:00

Roastery - Copenhagen

Marguerite Vibys Plads 8

2000 Frederiksberg

Denmark

Opening Hours:

Mon - Fri: 8:00 - 17:00

Sat - Sun: Closed

Talad Noi - Bangkok

813 Charoen Krung Rd, Talat Noi, Samphanthawong

10100 Bangkok

Thailand

Opening Hours:

Mon - Fri: 8:00 - 17:00

Sat - Sun: 8:00 - 17:00

Ari - Bangkok

304 Phahonyothin Road, Samsen Nai, Phaya Thai

10400 Bangkok

Thailand

Opening Hours:

Mon - Fri: 08:00 - 17:00

Sat - Sun: 08:00 - 17:00

Muscat - Oman

Al Qurum Complex

113 Muscat

Oman

Opening Hours:

Mon - Sat: 07:00 - 21:00

Sun: Closed

152 2nd Ave

10003 New York

United States

Opening Hours:

Mon - Fri: 7:00 - 18:00

Sat - Sun: 8:00 - 18:00

284 Lafayette St

10012 New York

United States

Opening Hours:

Mon - Fri: 7:00 - 18:00

Sat - Sun: 8:00 - 18:00

Graven 20

8000 Aarhus C

Denmark

Opening Hours:

Mon - Sat: 8:00 - 18:00

Sun: 9:00 - 17:00

Borggade 4F

8000 Aarhus C

Denmark

Opening Hours:

Mon - Sun: 7:00 - 17:00

Møntergade 3A

1116 Copenhagen K

Denmark

Opening Hours:

Mon - Fri: 8:00 - 18:00

Sat - Sun: 9:00 - 17:00

Marguerite Vibys Plads 8

2000 Frederiksberg

Denmark

Opening Hours:

Mon - Fri: 8:00 - 17:00

Sat - Sun: Closed

813 Charoen Krung Rd, Talat Noi, Samphanthawong

10100 Bangkok

Thailand

Opening Hours:

Mon - Fri: 8:00 - 17:00

Sat - Sun: 8:00 - 17:00

304 Phahonyothin Road, Samsen Nai, Phaya Thai

10400 Bangkok

Thailand

Opening Hours:

Mon - Fri: 08:00 - 17:00

Sat - Sun: 08:00 - 17:00

Al Qurum Complex

113 Muscat

Oman

Opening Hours:

Mon - Sat: 07:00 - 21:00

Sun: Closed

Contact

Webshop

Marguerite Vibys Pl. 1

2000 Frederiksberg

Denmark

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Please write us in the chat.

Wholesale

Marguerite Vibys Pl. 1

2000 Frederiksberg

Denmark

Have a question?

Please write us here

Marguerite Vibys Pl. 1

2000 Frederiksberg

Denmark

Have a question?

Please write us in the chat.

Marguerite Vibys Pl. 1

2000 Frederiksberg

Denmark

Have a question?

Please write us here