September Coffee | Kirimahiga AB - Kenya

September Coffee Co is the lovechild of one of our favourite coffee Youtubers Kyle Roswell. Kyle with his wife Natasha embody what we love about this industry. A transparent coffee company dedicated to bringing innovative and modern coffee flavours to the world. With an enduring work ethos, Kyle and Natasha run one of the most exciting roasters in Canada. Happy to be the first to carry September Coffee Co in Toronto. 

In their words:

We exist to highlight.

"we are a micro roastery in Canada's capital, Ottawa. we believe coffee is more than a caffeine fix. it's highlighting farmers, producers, processing methods, terroir, and variety that all work together to produce a quality result. our goal is to share coffees we love while highlighting this foundation"

Our approach.

"Our core mission at September is to share coffee we love. we are careful to source coffees that are not only delicious but source them direct or from importers that we believe live within the ethics of our values.

for our shower series we roast to highlight the work of producers while aiming for just enough development to allow a coffee to shine. this is how the larger majority of our menu is designed.

We also realize that not everyone is a fan of this style of coffee and we're not here to judge. In fact we believe many coffees benefit from a different roasting profile. We have our storm series for those who prefer coffees with added development for increased texture, colour and solubility while still highlighting a modern and delicate approach to coffee with great balance".†

We aim to offer all our coffees as soon as they arrive ensuring you receive them as close to their roast date as possible. However, September coffees shine 10 - 14 days after roast and keep up to 2 months. Best enjoyed slowly and thoughtfully.

Unreal coffee!

This is our first year working with this Kirimahiga AB lot. This coffee has everything we love about Kenyan coffee: bright stonefruits, juicy citrus, and delicate florals.

We get a juicy and bright cup of citrus and tart berries. This coffee has a juicy acidity of limes and tangerines, and a sweetness like pomegranate and blackberry.

Producer

The Kirimahiga Factory is one of three standout producers that make up the New Kiriti Farmers Cooperative Society (FCS). The FCS was formally established in 1988, bringing together generations of smallholder farmers with a shared commitment to quality. Currently, Kirimahiga proudly serves a community of 1,595 registered farmers, all working to produce exceptional coffees.

Process 

Select cherries are de-pulped using a disc pulping machine to carefully remove the skin and pulp. The cherries are then graded before undergoing a traditional fermentation process for 16 to 24 hours After fermentation, the parchment coffee is thoroughly washed and passed through more grading channels. A period of soaking (second wash) occurs shortly after in fresh water from nearby streams for 16 to 18 hours. In the final stage, the coffees are sun dried for up to 21 days on raised drying beds.

Variety

SL-28 is among the most well-known and well-regarded varieties of Africa. It has consequently spread from Kenya, where it was originally selected in the 1930s, to other parts of Africa (it is important in Arabica-growing regions of Uganda, in particular) and now to Latin America. The variety is suited for medium to high altitudes and shows resistance to drought, but is susceptible to the major diseases of coffee. SL28 is notable for its rusticity—a quality meaning that it can be left untended for years or even decades at a time, and then return to successful production. There are SL-28 trees in many parts of Kenya that are 60-80 years old and still productive. Ruiru is a variety that is resistant to coffee leaf rust and coffee berry disease. This variety was created at the Coffee Research Institute (CRI) in Ruiru, Kenya.