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Beans: Stooker Kenya Karani, SL28, SL34, Ruiru 11, Washed, Karani Washing station, Kirinyaga, Kenya.
Shop: Stooker Specialty Coffee, Webshop, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Stooker Specialty Coffee – Kenya Karani: Background information.
Stooker Specialty Coffee has a really interesting Kenya for sale at the moment: the Kenya Karani. This Kenyan coffee comes from the Karani washing station in the Kirinyaga region and plays host to 643 farmers. That in itself is not so special but the fact that over half of the farmers are women, is. The Karani washing station lies on the edge of the Mount Kenya forest, where the subsoil often consists of volcanic ash. This ash is highly fertile and makes for a great soil to grown coffee on. The Kenya Karani from Stooker was grown at an altitude of 1610m above sea level and has undergone a washed process. To create this coffee, Stooker Specialty Coffee used the SL28, SL34 and Ruiru 11 beans. These beans, especially the SL28 and SL34, are well known for the high quality coffee they bring forth.
Whenever I order a Kenyan coffee, it can both ways: either I get excited and love the coffee, or I get the feeling that the roaster did not get everything out of the beans. As if the Kenyan coffees are not keen on revealing all their secrets when it comes to flavours and aromas. But that could just be me. There a certain aspects about Kenyan coffees that can make me really enthusiastic: tomato notes and chocolate notes. Spoiler ahead: both of them are in this coffee!
Stooker Specialty Coffee – Kenya Karani: Opening the package.
When I got the coffee from Stooker Specialty Coffee in my mailbox I was pleased with the clean, modern and chique look of the package. A degassing valve and zip lock always make me happy when I receive a package of coffee. This ensures that the coffee is kept as fresh as possible. When I opened up the package the scent of vanilla and blueberry wafted up and the roast looked even. I could not even tell if the beans were roasted seperately or all together. I ate a couple of the beans and had little to no bitterness, a bit of sourness and hints of jasmine and vanilla right on the spot. I started grinding and to my surprise I smelled a full on tomato and floral notes on the ground coffee. Where did that vanilla go?
Stooker Specialty Coffee – Kenya Karani: The tasting.
I brewed this Kenya on the Hario V60, Aeropress and on the Siphon. I liked the Siphon the least since it leaned towards the savoury aspect of this coffee (you will understand what I man in a moment). I liked this coffee best on the good old Hario V60 where the coffee really seemed to develop during the tasting. I used a 15/225gr recipe with three pours. The water temperature was 92 degrees and I bloomed 30gr for 30 seconds first.
As I bloomed the coffee I could detect a pungent lavender scent that was replaced by soft vanilla (there it is!) and blueberry the more I poured. When I was done brewing the most peculiar thing happened. I smelled the hot brew in the cup and the aroma’s of tomato and sushi seaweed came to the front. I love that smell on coffee but the contrast with the brewing aromas were so different. I took a quick sip and slurped oxygen in my mouth. From the back of my mouth the tomato and seaweed flavour appeared together with a soft lime aspect. They got pushed aside by a soft vanilla as I swirled the coffee in my mouth.
I let the brew cool off a little and the aromas change into a fruity blueberry that is carried by the vanilla. I take another sip and slurp oxygen inside once more. At first there is the fruity Blueberry and soft vanilla flavours that appear. On the sides of my tongue I detect a lime mouthfeel and from the back a very faint tomato still lingers. As I swallow the coffee there is a hint of milky chocolate and more vanilla. This coffee really keeps you busy all the time!
I liked how the coffee felt satin like in my mouth and still had that citric acidity. The acidity is also bright, which you can feel on the tip of your tongue while drinking.
Stooker Specialty Coffee – Kenya Karani: The verdict.
To me a Kenya coffee can make my day, and I am a happy person right now. Stooker Specialty Coffee’s Karani brings you savoury and fruity notes in one cup, and tops it off with a faint milky chocolate aftertaste. I loved how the aromas and flavours changed as the coffee cools down. Also the tomato and sushi seaweed notes that I detected when the coffee was still hot surprised me in a good way. Overall I am super excited and cannot think of one thing to bring this coffee down. If you are looking for a great and awesome Kenyan coffee, this is your chance! Well done Stooker!
PS: The roasting date was of the 18th of October and Stooker Specialty Coffee told me that the coffee will be even better after two weeks. Unfortunately this coffee is running out fast so if you want to taste it, don’t wait too long. I’ve put the direct link to this coffee below, something I do not do on a regular basis.
Click here to go to this coffees webshop page!