7. December | Lunji AB - Tansania Espresso

In this coffee we taste black currant, pear and lime.

About the coffee

Currently, all coffee on the Lunji Estate farm is processed using the 'washed' method. In earlier times, when there was no demand for natural coffee (and water was abundant), this was simply the most efficient way of processing. Stella and Clemens' son Paul, who will take over quality control on the farm as soon as he finishes his studies in agricultural sciences in Berlin, is currently engaged in experiments with naturals and honeys.

After the selective hand harvest, the coffee is sorted to remove all residues and damaged cherries. Immediately after harvesting, the cherries go into a pulper. The coffee is then transferred with fresh water to fermentation tanks, where it ferments for about 24 hours. In the final step, the coffee is dried on raised beds for between 9 and 13 days, and is regularly turned and sorted to remove damaged beans and impurities. The coffee is finally stored in a dry mill about 25 km from the farm. After grinding, it is sorted by sieve size and density. The grading is done according to PB, AA, A, B, C, E, F, AF, TT, UG. In 2017/18, 52% of the farm's crop was defined as AA, which is a very good percentage and speaks for the farming methods.

About the farm

Lunji Estate farm is located right at the foot of the Mbeya mountain range, offering a breathtaking ambience characterized by spectacular views and climate. The name "Lunji", which the current owners believe is derived from "Ilunji", comes from an old name in Safwa (the local tribal language) for a tree common in the region. Although the word is no longer used today, older people still remember the name of the tree. The current owners, Clemens Maier and Thomas Plattner, purchased the farm in 1994 from the previous owner, who had abandoned the farm for many years due to illness. Clemens and his wife Stella agreed to manage the farm and bring it back to life, but they had their hands full.

The farm is currently focusing on quality, as Stella and Clemens know that specialty coffee production is on the rise in Europe. Currently, about 60% of the farm's total production is sold as specialty coffee, but their dream is to increase that percentage even more.