September/October, 2008

Specialty Estate Coffee of the Month - Malawi Pamwamba
(AA Grade Estate Coffee)

Over 3,500 thousand coffee growers are scattered in the five coffee growing areas. There is a ‘Coffee Farmer Association’ for each of the coffee growing areas. The associations are responsible for the coffee seedlings production, farming input, mobilization, road maintenance and primary processing of the coffee. These are assisted by ‘coffee association advisors’, one allocated to each of the five coffee growers associations.

Our particular Malawi Pamwamba estate coffee (AA Grade) comes from close to the Songwe River, which forms the natural boundary between Malawi and Tanzania, approximately 320kms away from Mzuzu City, the capital of Northern Malawi.

Due to the terrain of the coffee growing areas, almost 70-80% of all the coffee is grown on terraces. Most of the coffee is grown with organic fertilizer; whilst disease and insect pest control is carried out using integrated pest management principles. Most of the farmers don't use any chemicals unless the situation becomes serious.

Coffee trees are not allowed to produce any crop until they are three years old. At this stage the trees are allowed to carry half the crop and they will remain in production for 5-10 years. Flowering starts between September and November depending on location. Harvesting is carried out between May and October of every year.

We roast this supreme coffee into the second crack leaving an almost buttery, chocolate mouthful with hints of spice and low acid. You won’t be disappointed!!

ENJOY!

The Koffee Dude