2017-09-13 — Kenya Muranga Riakiberu AA

Roast Date: 13 Sep 2017
Duration: 10m25s
First Crack @ 8m9s
Rating: ★★★☆☆
1.2lb → 1.02lb; 15% Weight Loss

Sweet Maria’s

The smells in the dry grounds of Riakiberu are attractive, City+ roasts offering a mix of malty sweetness, and berry jelly. Fruits are present without overpowering the aroma, and while smells of baked goods, caramelizing sugars, and such billow in the steam from the hot coffee, subtler accent notes like berry and melon compliment this sugary base. Riakiberu brews really well, City+ roasts promising flavors of sagarcane juice, cantelope, and an interesting herbal note of celery soda. There’s a honey-wheat flavor too that comes through in the finish that while a little odd for Kenya, but is just an afterthought as you pass through flavors of fruit tea, tart limeade, and lemon-rhubarb. Acidity is bright from the get go, the perception of citrus is apparent, and we noticed that the citric overtones gain momentum as the cup temperature cools. There’s a tannic aspect in the finish that’s similar to slightly over extracted black tea, and flavors of unrefined sweeteners like barley malt and rice syrup round out the finish.

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Due to a power outage I couldn’t use filtered water from my fridge, nor could the coffee soak as long as normal, so the actual brew is pretty different from what I normally make.

Unlike the last couple times I roasted this, I think the celery is more front and center this time. This has a savory aftertaste that I am not a fan of though.