Kenya Kiambu Spike AB
Very well-rounded Kenya, with forward sweetness all the way to the finish. Complexity builds as it cools, hinting at berry tea, molasses, hibiscus drink, dark sugar, and pungent black tea. City to Full City. Good for espresso.
90.5
Full Cupping Notes
It was another great year at Spikes farm, and we wound up with 6 different lots! This AB selection from Spike farm is the medium-sized beans (15-16 screen), and the cup fell somewhere between their more fruited Peaberries and sweet, tea-like AA coffees. The dry grounds smelled deeply sweet, with notes of dark sugars, molasses, and a hint of fruit. After pouring hot water on the grounds, the sweetness in the steam is complex, and intense. Running my spoon through the crust let off a scent of torched sugar, caramel, with accents of blueberry muffin, and a bit of dark, tannic tea. The cup has the sort of sweet/bright interplay of a classic Kenya profile, with bittersweet balance, and moderate intensity. It's not jarringly citric like some Kenyas, but rather well rounded, the complexity building as it cools. City/City+ roasts have sweet molasses and dark sugar notes that carry the cup from start to finish, accented by hints of berry tea, hibiscus drink, and a pungent black tea aftertaste. For Kenya, the top notes are on the restrained side, turning a well deserved spotlight to this coffee's forward sweetness. It's one I want to circle back on to dry dark roasted, as I think the profile would work really well for bright Kenya espresso.
- Process Method Wet Process Kenya Type
- Cultivar Bourbon Types
- Farm Gate Yes
When asking Moses, the farm manager, why they named the farm "Spike", he matter of factly stated that the owner simply liked the name. That's reason enough for me, and certainly a name we'll remember. Spike farm was established about 12 years ago, in Kaira-ini area of Kenya's Kiambu district. This 12 hectare farm sits at 1930 meters above sea level, and is planted in SL 28, and Ruiru 11 varieties, planted in separate blocks. They recently started grafting Ruiru onto SL roots too, also on a separate farm block from the rest. All of the coffee is currently harvested together. However, next year they plan to process coffee from each block and offer variety separations, as well as blends. The coffee is pulped using a small electric pulping machine, then fermented for 72 hours to break down the sticky fruit mucilage stuck to the seed. After, the coffee is washed of the remaining fruit and then dried on raised beds for around 10 days.
| Region | Kiambu County |
|---|---|
| Processing | Wet Process Kenya Type |
| Drying Method | Raised Bed Sun-Dried |
| Arrival date | May 2026 |
| Lot size | 17 |
| Bag size | 60 KG |
| Packaging | GrainPro Liner |
| Farm Gate | Yes |
| Cultivar Detail | SL-28, SL-34, Ruiru 11 |
| Grade | AB |
| Appearance | .2 d/300gr, 15-16 Screen |
| Roast Recommendations | City to Full City |
| Type | Farm Gate |
| Recommended for Espresso | Yes |
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