Back once again, the ever popular Elimbari coffee returns for another year at Stewarts of Trent Bridge.
This years harvest is just as incredible as the last and we are really excited to get our hands on another batch.
This coffee is the result of the efforts of many smallholder farmers based around the Chauve district in the Highlands province of Chimbu. Goroka is the capital of the Eastern Highlands and acts as the access in and out of the district. Papua New Guinea’s coffee growers can produce as little as 30 kilos per year, they are almost all native smallholders.
The existence of a strong tribal culture means that creating and managing successful co-ops can often be a real challenge. The Elimbari project was started over ten years ago by Kongo Coffee’s native owner, Jerry Kapka, to help provide some of these much needed opportunities for betterment for his family, friends and other local people.
Kongo Coffee’s factory is based in Chauve, and has become a key part of the local community. Local producers bring their parchment coffee to be converted into cash. The coffee is inspected closely on arrival for aroma and defects and moisture content. Depending on these results, the coffee either becomes Y grade (low grade coffee that dominates the crop in PNG) or Elimbari if it meets special quality requirements. Premiums for those who produce Elimbari coffee are publically listed on the factory door and post-harvest instructions and training are made available for those interested in improving their processing results.
PNG is a great origin full of high altitudes, fertile soils and great coffee varietals (Bourbon, Typica, Blue Mountain, Arusha …). Project Elimbari helps provide opportunities for improvement and reward for coffee producers operating in very remote and, often, seemingly impossible situations.
This coffee is characterised by a balanced flavour, medium-full body with nuances of dried apricots or prunes. In the aroma, we can find a variety of floral scents. Great as an espresso, but works just as well with stove tops and frenchpress. Enjoy!
If you want to get your hands on a bag of this coffee then you need to sign up to our Coffee Lounge. Each month we send out an exclusive coffee with our tasting notes and some info about the coffee.
