COFFEE
Spring has sprung in Edinburgh, the cherry blossoms have coloured the Meadows in pink, the sun is shining, and here at the Machina Roastery we have more good news for you - we have two new coffees that have just arrived which will be available in our cafes and wholesale list later this month (you're welcome!).
April saw the release of the first samples of the new crop coffees from Ethiopia and Kenya, from which we chose four coffees to join our line up when they land in Europe. Spring and summer are exciting times for coffee - it’s when there is the most abundance of choice of the freshest possible green coffees, which result in the most vibrant cups. We thought that you might like a sneaky preview of what’s to come...
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Ethiopia  Aricha Idido
Deemed as the birthplace of coffee, Ethiopia produces some of the most striking coffees in the world, with a lot of diversity in flavour depending on the region. Between the distinguished aromas of jasmine, bergamot, soft fruity sweetness (think stone fruit), and gentle citric acidity of washed Sidamo to the heavy violets aromas, big juicy strawberries and a creamy silky body of naturally processed Guji - there is plenty to explore!
The first of our Ethiopian releases is from the Aricha wet mill. Idido is the village near where this coffee was grown, located in a micro region of the famous Yirgacheffe. Grown at altitudes between 1850m and 1880m ensures the coffee cherries’ slow sugar development, leading to an incredibly sweet and complex cup. The coffee is picked between November and January, only once the cherries are fully ripe - which means that pickers have to visit the same trees a few times throughout the harvest. This vastly improves the consistency of the lot, as well as the intensity of flavour.
As with most Ethiopian coffees, this lot is comprised of various Ethiopian Heirloom varieties of Arabica, or as some call them - Wild Varieties. After picking, the cherries are depulped within 12 hours, which is essential in preventing any undesired fermentation that could result in off flavours. Following the depulping, the coffee undergoes washing with spring water before drying.
During our tasting, the Aricha Idido showcased flavours of honey, lavender and lemon, preceded by a lovely floral aroma. A peach-like acidity makes it vibrant and accentuates the coffee's heavy sweetness, while a velvety body balances the cup overall.
The first roast of our Kenyan Kapsakisio AB
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Kenya Kapsakisio AB
The first of our Kenyans coffees this year is grown on the slopes of Mt Elgon in western Kenya - a less known region that has a great potential, as showcased by this coffee. Kapsakisio is a cooperative society with about 800-1000 smallholders, located at around 1600-1700m above sea level. This lot is comprised of the SL28 and SL34 varietals, which are commonly grown in Kenya. After harvesting, the coffee is depulped the same day, fermented overnight, washed, soaked and spread on drying tables.
While processing methods differ from country to country, even mill to mill, it is widely agreed that the Kenyan washing process produces extremely clean cups, and contributes to those coffees’ striking characters. The rich fertile soil of Kenya give the perfect conditions for coffee growing - the phosphorus in the soil is absorbed by the plant contributes to the content of phosphoric acid (think cola) in the cup. This type of acidity is what gives Kenyan coffees the vibrant blackcurrant flavour, making them complex, sweet and interesting.
In the cup what shone for us was how incredibly sweet that coffee is - the bright fruity notes of apple, lime and blackcurrant marry perfectly with rich sweet caramel notes creating a floral yet heavy brew. We will be roasting it for filter, to let this explosion of flavour shine and dance on the palate.
Both of these coffees were sourced by Cafe Imports and will be available in our shops later this month.
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Written by Emiliya Yordanova, Head of Quality Control
Wholesale coffee
If you would like to know more or are interested in serving our coffees in your own establishment, do get in touch at roastery@machina-espresso.co.uk.
