Tanzania Ngila Estate AA RFA

Origin: Tanzania
Region: Karatu
Estate: Ngila Estate
Altitude: 1600 – 1800 masl
Varietal: Kenta / Bourbon
Grade: AA
Cetification: RFA
Processing: Wet Processed
Tasting Notes: Black Tea, Berries, Caramel and sugar cane
Moisture Content: 9.6%

Ngila Coffee Estate is situated in the Karatu District on the slopes of the Ngorongoro crater and surrounded by the Ngila Forest reserve. It was started in the 20th century by a German family and later taken by British farmers after the 2nd world war, who in 1990 sold it to a German Family, Ruldolf Meyer. Since then the coffee area has expanded, irrigation technology and new processing equipment installed. Since more than 10 years Ngila coffee has found recognition as one of the finest washed Arabica coffees from Ngorongoro crater. The water of the Endoro stream, coming from Ngorongoro National Park is enhancing Ngila finest coffee.

The Ngila Coffee Estate is around 100 hectares, containing some 150,000 coffee trees which produce around 120 tons of prime Arabica highland coffee every year. The coffee varieties are Bourbon and Typica. The farmlands are located at 1500 -1600 metres above sea level and 4° south of the Equator. It’s positioned on the edge of the cloud forest of the northern highlands, near to the Conservation Area on the slopes of Ngorongoro crater in northern Tanzania in East Africa.

Ngila Coffee Estate was founded at the beginning of the twentieth century by a German settler. It was an ambitious undertaking but was a success. The coffee farmers laid the foundation for the unique coffee that grows in this mineral-rich volcanic soil.

The farm was bought in 1992 and since then, new technology like modern drip irrigation and water-saving coffee processing equipment has been installed.With proven and experienced staff, Ngila Coffee Estate offers a highland coffee that meets high quality standards.

All coffee on the farm is selectively handpicked and sorted to remove any damaged or under ripe cherries before pulping. Picking on the farm is incredibly stringent, and the harvest season at Ngila lasts nearly two months, with 3 to 4 passes being done for each tree.

After hand-sorting the coffee is delivered to flotation tanks, where any underweight or damaged cherries are again removed. After this, the coffee passes through a Penagos pulper which extracts some of the mucilage from the berries. The coffee is taken in buckets from the density-sorting channel to the drying tables where the parchment is then air dried for at least 7 days. The coffee is turned regularly and covered with netting during the heat of the day.

Coffee in Tanzania was grown almost exclusively in the North for a long time. The Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Tarime, Kagera, Kigoma and Karatu/Ngorongoro regions were prized for their ideal Arabica growing conditions. At the time, coffee production was so concentrated in the north that Moshi, a northern municipality, was the only hub for all coffee milling and sales.

Operations in Moshi grew to truly massive proportions in the 1950s and early-1960s. Since both Tanzania, Kenya and Burundi were under British rule in the post-war decades, Moshi was the second milling and sales hub (after Nairobi, Kenya) for British coffee production.

Even though transportation from the few farms in Southern Tanzania to Moshi could take nearly a week, there just wasn’t enough production to make it economical for the government or private companies to construct mills in the South until the 1970s and 1980s.

Coffee in Tanzania Today

Coffee cultivation has extended southwards in recent years. In addition to the historical powerhouse regions in the north, coffee is now also grown in the southern regions of Ruvuma and Mbeya/Mbozi. Most Southern expansion of coffee growing occurred in the 1970s and 1980s and was encouraged by two projects supported by European backers. In an ironic twist, today 75 to 85% of total coffee production in Tanzania today comes from farms in the south.

Small Batch Roasting: Roast For You Service – Terms & Conditions

Introduction

Small Batch Roasting now offers a service that offers personalised coffee roasting for customers who want to enjoy freshly roasted coffee tailored to their preferences.

Roast For You Service

When you choose to have your coffee roasted for you, we will roast the exact amount ordered and roast this for you to the selected roast profile you have chosen. Our small batch roasting process ensures that your coffee is roasted with care and precision, resulting in a high-quality, freshly roasted product.

Minimum Green Weight Requirement

Please be advised that the minimum green weight for roasting any one single origin is 6kg. Any orders placed with less than 6kg of each origin will be placed on hold and may cause delays in being dispatched. We will contact you to discuss how you wish to proceed in this case.

Weight Loss During Roasting

Please be mindful of the weight loss through moisture loss during roasting, which is typically between 12-20% depending on the level of roast. The darker the roast, the higher the moisture loss. This weight loss should be taken into account when ordering your coffee to ensure you receive the desired amount of roasted coffee.

Order Processing Time

Orders for roasted coffees will naturally take a little longer to process. Please allow a minimum of 3 days for your order to arrive from the point of order. If we are able to drop your order in the roasting schedule sooner, we will always endeavor to do so.

Mixed Orders

Mixed orders which include green and roasted coffees will be dispatched together when the roasted coffees are ready. We are unable to split these orders, so please consider the slightly longer delivery times when ordering mixed coffees.

Packaging

Your coffee will be bulk packed into a 6kg bulk bag with an identifying label on only. This packaging ensures that your coffee remains fresh and protected during transit.

Roast Profile and Liability

We will roast to your desired roast profile, but are unable to take any liability for any taste discrepancies that may arise from this. We are unable to take back any coffees once they have been roasted to your desired roast profile.

Yield Estimate

Typically, a medium roast coffee at 6kg green will yield 5.1kg of freshly roasted coffee. This estimate should be taken into account when ordering your coffee to ensure you receive the desired amount of roasted coffee.