January Coffee Releases: Retro, Ethiopia Guji, and Kenya Kiamaina

Jan 01, 2017

One of the most exciting parts of our jobs at Gimme is getting to try new coffees, and sharing them with you! This month we have three new coffees: one seasonal blend and two African coffees, one from Ethiopia and one from Kenya.

Retro

Gimme! trailer with lit neon "Espresso" sign in the window

Tasting notes of yore: Centennial Harley Leather / Pistol-Shot Montana Gallop / Divebar Chic

We've always had a soft spot for the retro, be it mod or mid-century or classic Americana ,as demonstrated by our Silverado trailer espresso bar, not to mention some of our past tasting notes. Our newest seasonal blend, Retro, is a throwback to our blends of yore, and we want to give you the warmth and comfort of seeing an old friend - looking at you Deep Disco!!

To get that warmth and comfort, we start this blend with our Brazil Cerrado, a coffee loaded with toasted nuts and chocolate. When we combine it with our Java Blue Batavia, we get a blend that is incredibly deep and comforting, with complex spices and heavy chocolate. As with friendly conversation, you’ll find yourself hoping your cup of Retro never ends - buy online or in stores now!

Ethiopia Guji

Drying beds spread with coffee beans

Ethiopia: the birthplace of coffee, and home to some of the most exquisite coffees in the world.

When most people think of Ethiopian Coffee, they immediately think of Yirgacheffe or Sidama - two of the most well-known and well-respected growing regions in Ethiopia. In recent years, however, more and more people are being wowed by coffees from the Guji zone, seeing the same quality and variety of coffee as the regions of Yirgacheffe and Sidama.

The Guji zone has traditionally produced natural-processed coffees, the traditional processing method of Ethiopia - when done carefully, this can create incredibly sweet, syrupy coffees, with perfumed aromatics. In the last few years, however, a number of private washing stations have popped up within the region, resulting in exceptionally clean coffees bursting with candy sweetness, a variety of clean fruits, and a clean, tea-like body - a truly wonderful experience in a cup!

This particular coffee comes from a washing station in the Gurach Village, which processes coffee for over 2,300 local farmers, before meticulously drying them on raised beds, readying the coffee for export - it’s been a while since we’ve had a washed Ethiopian coffee available in stores, but we were so entranced by this coffee, we couldn’t say no, and we’re incredibly excited to share it with you. Buy Ethiopia Guji online or in stores!

Kenya Kiamaina

Coffees from Kenya are some of the sweetest, most dynamic coffees in all the world, but what is it about Kenyan coffee that drives us wild?

For many of us in the coffee industry, Kenyan coffees are so intriguing because of their uniqueness. You can find clean, fruity coffees, or comforting, velvety coffees throughout the world, but rarely can you find all of those things in one place like you can in Kenya. Grown in the Nyeri region near Mount Kenya, this coffee is grown at a very high elevation, creating an environment where coffee cherries develop slowly. The area’s high elevation and phosphorous-rich soil allow the coffee to develop an complex, fruity coffees balanced by its deep sweetness and round body.

Similar to other coffee-growing countries, a lot of Kenyan coffees are grown by small farm holders, and brought to washing stations (factories) where they are processed. This coffee comes from the Kiamaina Factory, where up to 500 local farmers bring their coffee cherries to have the fruit removed from the bean inside. After processing, the factory sorts and combines the coffees based on size, then dries them on raised beds before trading and exporting the coffee to the rest of the world. The sweet tropical explosion and supreme balance of this coffee from the Kiamaina factory has intoxicated us - buy Kenya Kiamaina online or in stores and see for yourself!

More articles