Nomad Goes to Kenya

Coffee: Faith Estate

Roaster:   Nomad
Producer/Farm: Cecilia Wanjiku, Faith Estate
Origin/Region: Kenya, Kirinyaga
Process: Washed
Altitude: 1850 masl
Variety: SL28



Dry Fragrance: caramel, pineapple, fruity

Tasting Notes: Fruity and floral qualities predominate in this Kenyan coffee with characteristic juiciness and nectar sweetness. Flavor notes are tropical and candy-like: honeyed-pineapple, fresh cherries, hibiscus and just a hint of butterscotch and cinnamon. The mouthfeel is syrupy with a pleasant lingering aftertaste. Overall, it’s a bright, well-balanced coffee that keeps you coming back for more.

Roaster’s notes: Cecilia Wanjiku is the owner and co-founder of Faith State, a farmer cooperative located in the region of Kirinyaga in the centre of Kenya. As it happens in many other coffee producer countries, the smallholder’s farmers in Kenya, organize themselves into small coops. Faith Estate provides monthly training about growing, processing coffee and business planning to more than 30 small estate owners in the area, with the goal of improving the production of high-quality coffees. The AA nomenclature of this coffee means that the size of the beans (screen size 17/18 or 7.2 mm) are high-quality. As most of the Kenyan coffees, this one is fully washed. After a selective handpicking the beans are de-pulped and fermented for 24 hours. The beans are washed with cold water and then dried on raised beds. Note: Roaster’s notes taken from the Nomad website were edited as needed for clarity.

Brew recommendations: The hibiscus notes in this coffee can impart a touch of astringency so it’s best to brew this one under 3:15 minutes. The flavor profile was better on the Origami dripper using a fast-flow V60 filter. I did my usual protocol and a 1:16 ratio (21 g/340 g water) with a 30 second bloom. Pour in pulses: 0 secs 50 ml, 1 min 50 mls, 1:30, 2 and 2:30* and 3 mins add 60 ml to finish around 3:10 (*swirl gently after the 280 pour).

Nomad shared this brew recipe on V60: We use 15 g of medium ground coffee and 260 gr of water at a temperature of 96ºC. We pour the water in 2 times. One of 50 gr, we wait 30 seconds and then pour the rest of the water until it reaches 260 grams. The total infusion time should be between 2 and a half and 3 minutes.

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