Papua New Guinea Kimel Estate Peaberry

Somewhat exotic, moderate acidity and lots of body.  Excellent in darker roasts. Notes of orange, honey, spice and brown sugar.  The beans are fairly small and very dense.

Arrival Date:  July 22nd, 2016

Acidity & Brightness: Mild acidity, warm and savory

Balance & Finish: On the complex side with a long, dry finish

Body & Texture: Medium body with a lightly silky texture

Flavor Traits:  Orange, honey, spice and brown sugar

Grade:  Peaberry, Strictly High Grown (highest), very dense

Processing:  Fully Washed, hand picked, sun dried

Varieties: Mondo Novo, Blue Mt. Bourbon, Typica, Arusha, Caturra and Catimor

Roasting:  Start with a Full City+ (Medium-Dark).  These dense Indonesian peaberry beans hold up to darker roasting if you prefer.

Recommendation:  For people who enjoy an aromatic, somewhat exotic cup with rich, warm flavor and a hefty body. 

Reminder:  This is raw coffee.  You have to roast it before brewing!

Kimel Estate peaberry comes from the highlands of northeastern Papua New Guinea.  It is grown at elevations in the 4000-5000 foot range in an area with abundant rainfall and rich, well drained volcanic soil.  All these elements combine to produce coffee's favorite growing environment, and set the basis for a very, very good cup.  A lot of PNG coffee is grown on very small farms and has to be transported over very poor infrastructure to the drying and processing mill.  All too often it gets moldy and fermenty during the trip.  Kimel is one of the larger coffee estates and has the advantage of being able to process the coffee right on the farm, effectively by-passing this hazard.  The beans are first rate.  Many coffee experts think a peaberry (the coffee cherry produces only a single seed instead of the normal two) has a more concentrated coffee essence--basically bringing more flavor per bean to the cup.  Being slightly rounded instead of flat on one side, the beans tend to agitate better during roasting, giving you a more uniform roast.  These are high grown beans, meaning they mature slowly, and that causes them to become more dense and generally have lower acidity.

Most peaberry coffees we've had are more subtle than their "normal" versions, but this coffee stands all on its own. It's rich and even bold and will handle darker roasting well if that's your preference. It's got notes of orange, honey and brown sugar making for a very nice and cozy winter cup. It's very balanced and drinkable with moderately low acidity.