Perc Coffee out of Savannah, GA is one of my perennial favorites. I’ve reviewed a lot of Perc coffees and they never disappoint! This morning I decided to pair up my first taste of Third Wave Water (a separate review or two that I’ll be writing about in the future) with Perc’s Kenya Kianderi AA! Let’s check it out!
Buy this coffee directly from Perc for $17/12oz (orders over $25 ship for free using code FREESHIP25)
PERC COFFEE KENYA KIANDERI AA
Perc Coffee have a long relationship with KC Coffee Geek and when I receive coffee from them I’m always certain it’s going to be good, if not great. They are one of the go-to roasters on my list when someone asks for recommendations for new coffee roasters to try out. They sent me a couple coffees last week and the first one I’m trying out is their current Kenyan Kianderi AA. This coffee comes from the Weithaga Farmer Cooperative Society in the Murang’a area with SL-34 and SL-28 varieties (those “classic” Kenyan beans!) grown in the 1600-1700masl range. This is a 2016 harvest and it’s a washed coffee, as most are from Kenya. About 18% of Weithaga’s coffee is AA size, and remember, Kenya’s AA, AB, etc “grading” refers to the size of the beans and is not a quality measure. Perc describes this coffee as, “like satin sheets on a vibrating bed.” LOL
Their cupping notes read, “Tangerine + honey + exotic” and they say to expect, “blasts of tart pink grapefruit, waves of tangy tangerine, clover honey sweetness and a round, juicy body.” They recommend a 35g/540g dose in a Chemex with a 4:00 brew time. I used my usual 1:16 of 28g coffee to 450g water in a notNeutral Gino. Grinder is a Handground set on 3.5 and I used Third Wave Water’s product in standard Wal-Mart distilled water for the first time today with this coffee.
This coffee is insanely vibrant and clear to me. I was a little worried because I just picked up a slight head cold and my nose is pretty stuffed up, but this coffee is cutting like a hot knife through butter. I have not brewed this coffee with my usual home tap water (and Kansas City has pretty good water as far as hardness goes) but I suspect this Third Wave Water product is going to ruin me for tap water from now on. That’s all I need, now, fancy coffee AND I have to be a snob about what water to use! LOL But, it makes sense. Coffee is mostly water, so…
Anyway, we’ve seen some soft, mellow Kenyans of late here at World Domination HQ, but this is not one of them! At warmer temps I was getting a honey-like super sweetness surrounded by very loud and clear tangerine notes and lots of lemon-orange acidity. It wasn’t nearly as tart as those sour candies, but it was similar to adding a dusting of citric acid to an orange slice candy! Wow! I was also getting a watermelon note in the back and toward the finish on this coffee. It was subtle, but there. I was struck, like, really struck, by how much structure and clarity there was to every flavor in the sip. I sent a message to Third Wave Water that simple read: “Excuse my French, but HOLY #$%!” LOL
As the cup cooled the flavors toned down and mellowed a little, and that acidity got a little more grapefruity. There was still a ton of body and sweetness in the cup and the acidity really kept it from becoming cloying, which it would be if it were not balanced out. Make no mistake, though, this is a bright, brash Kenyan coffee with a ton of citrus in it. I love it, but if you’re looking for something mellow and peachy and softer, there are other choices. If you’re looking for a classic, turned up to 11 bright Kenyan citrus bomb, this is the coffee for you! I love this one and it was a real treat to drink. YUM