Almost African

Why Almost African

 We wanted to create a blend with the energy and acidity typical of African coffees, but with a modern twist. The Kenyan component brings structure and bright, juicy acidity. The Colombian co-ferment adds intense notes of passion fruit, orange peel, and a sweet tropical character that makes the blend bold and memorable.

Farm

 Colombia – Finca Río Negro is located in the Acevedo region of Huila at 1,650 meters above sea level. It’s a family farm with roots going back to the 1960s and 70s, when the current farmer’s parents — themselves children of coffee growers — moved to Huila from Colombia’s Eje Cafetero region. They were still teenagers when they began a new life there with their families. That’s when Río Negro was established, purchased by their grandfather and later taken over by his son, today’s farmer. Despite the many challenges of coffee farming, they managed to sustain the farm and continue producing exceptional coffee to this day.

 In the beginning, the farm mainly grew traditional varieties such as Colombia and Caturra, along with smaller amounts of local cultivars. Over time, they renovated the farm and replaced them with higher-quality and more distinctive varieties. In recent years, they have focused especially on specialty cultivars like Pink Bourbon, Yellow Bourbon, Tabi, and others. Today, the farm produces around 30,000 kg of coffee annually, most of it at specialty grade.

 The farmer grew up on this land. From childhood, he watched his parents work the fields, and coffee naturally became part of his life. His drive to elevate quality led him to experiment with fermentation. The goal was to create a coffee that is distinctive, memorable, yet approachable — one where even a casual drinker can clearly recognize the flavors and tell it apart from others.

 The farm is run by Jhon Rodríguez together with his wife Luz Marína Gómez and their children, Jhony Esteban and Victoria — a family that lives and breathes coffee every day.

Kenya – Thirikwa Farmers

 This coffee comes from Kirinyaga County, a fertile region on the southern slopes of Mount Kenya. It is grown by smallholder farmers organized under the Thirikwa Farmers’ Cooperative Society, who collectively manage more than 400,000 coffee trees. The coffee grows at elevations of 1,600–1,700 meters above sea level in deep red volcanic soil. The climate, with abundant rainfall, gives it the characteristic complexity and bright juiciness typical of Kenyan coffees.

Processing

 The base of the blend is a washed Kenya, processed using the traditional washed method with an emphasis on clarity and vibrant acidity. Handpicking of ripe cherries, water fermentation, and drying on raised beds give the cup structure, freshness, and that signature juiciness.

 Colombian Bourbon Rosado is processed using an experimental co-fermentation with orange and passion fruit. After harvest, the cherries are disinfected with warm water, pulped, and transferred into sealed tanks where they ferment anaerobically. A 48-hour pre-fermented fruit purée of orange and passion fruit is added to the process, along with selected Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast strains isolated directly from coffee. Fermentation lasts 3 to 4 days and is carefully controlled by monitoring pH levels to achieve a precise balance between fruit intensity and clarity.

The coffee is then sun-dried for approximately 8 days until it reaches the ideal moisture level for stable storage.