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This natural process offering from Thunguri Estate in Kenya revealed notes of grapefruit, pomegranate, papaya, and cranberry in the sample roast. This was my first experience roasting a natural process from Kenya and was excited for its arrival. I decided to do a production roast on our Diedrich IR-5. I charged the 9-pound batch to 388 degrees Fahrenheit with 50% of heat applied and released the coffee into the drum. Turning point occurred 1:30 into duration at 161 degrees Fahrenheit. Approaching three minutes into duration I increased heat application to 75%. Gaining momentum, I decided to adjust airflow to 50% at 5:01 into duration. The drying phase of the roast ended 6:05 into duration when I marked color change and the maillard phase had begun. Color change was uniform, smooth, and even. Being a natural process, the coffee took on color fast. Still gaining momentum and with an increasing rate of rise I decreased heat application to 50% at 7:38 into duration. My experience with roasting coffees from Kenya, I have always had an earlier first crack. Knowing this I began to manage my heat application by backing off the heat I was applying in preparation for first crack. I reduced heat from 50% to 35% and then down to 25% within a minute of duration. The development phase of the roast began 8:53 into duration at 389 degrees Fahrenheit. First crack was light and gentle. Nothing aggressive, good momentum with a decreasing rate of rise guided me through the development phase. From what I tasted on the cupping table I was targeting a shorter development to keep the more complex fruit tones balanced with pleasant acidity. As I moved through development it was not necessary to make any added heat adjustments based on the momentum I had and desired development time I wanted to achieve. Throughout the development phase I experienced aromas of cream soda, caramel and brown sugar integrated with honey and floral notes. At 10:59 I dropped the roast into the cooling tray. I achieved 2:06 of development time or a ratio of 19.1%. The coffee’s appearance in the tray was uniform with nice expansion. I was extremely pleased with how this roast performed on the cupping table. Beautiful texture and mouthfeel accompanied with light, crisp acidity highlighted with complex notes of grapefruit and papaya.

Delicate mouthfeel and texture accompanied with light, crisp acidity highlighted with complex notes of grapefruit and papaya.