Description
Background:
The Kimel plantation was first established in 1974 by an Australian named Bobby Gibbs; it is now fully owned by traditional landowners the Opais, being the main tribe in this area. The estate is located in the Western Highlands in the Wahgi Valley approximately 50 Km south of Mount Hagen, near a small town called Banz.
The Western Highlands area is the largest coffee producing province in Papua New Guinea (PNG), with the Wahgi valley and the Dei Council, in particular, which the estate boarders, produce some of the finest coffees in PNG.
It’s been a while since carrying the normal PNG Kimel, which usually has nice chocolately notes with some spice. The peaberry variant is a different beast though: Medium intensity, sweet caramel maltiness, more pronounced spice, and some orange peel on the finish. The coffee has a silky texture, a nice pairing with the chocolate-malt notes.
Roasting Notes:
Up to a full city roast – just the start of second crack seems to be the sweet spot, although I suspect it would handle slightly deeper as well. As with most peaberrys, watch the heat level – the small size of the beans means they are easy to burn.
Price is per kg plus freight where applicable.
Karl (verified owner) –
I used to like this bean, but lately have not been enjoying it much – lacks body, flavour, Crema. I know that roasting makes a difference. Ive been careful from 1st to second crack, and stopping short of second. But beans taste bitter. Also the QR Code on the label does not work.