January Roasters Choice 2025 - New Year New Beans

Kenya Oyugis - Anaerobic Natural Process

2024 is done so that's another year of banging specialty coffee in the books. But we're not done! 2025 means another year of the best beans on the planet straight to your door rotating monthly and we're kicking the year off with a bang. We are bloody good to you lot aren't we.

Kenya Oyugis - Process & Harvest

If you've been with us for a while now you'll know we're a big fan of a Kenyan bean. The deep fruity, jammy tones blend perfectly with luscious chocolate and nuts making Kenya one of the most sought after producing countries on the planet; and rightly so!

This bean however, is not quite what you'd expect and that's all thanks to the wonderful humans at Lot 20 Coffee. Lot 20 Coffee, founded by Sidney Kibet, is a Kenyan coffee company based in Kericho County. Established in 2020, the company specialises in exporting and processing high-quality coffee, with a focus on experimental fermentation techniques. Drawing on Sidney Kibet's experience in brewing cider, Lot 20 applies techniques involving various yeasts, enzymes, and lactic acids to enhance the flavour profiles of its coffee. 

When the coffee cherries arrive at Lot 20, once sorted, the cherries are filled into fermentation barrels, where, in an oxygen-free environment, nature takes its course. Under carefully monitored anaerobic conditions, the cherries are fermented for four days. To ensure uniformity, the barrels are persistently agitated, creating the perfect environment for flavourful microbes to flourish.

Once the cherries have been meticulously fermented they are dried on raised beds until a specific moisture content level is achieved. This allows Lot 20 to create a consistent specific flavour profile that is truly exceptional. 

Chipp Coffee Co Roastery Update

To be brutally honest with everyone, December has been a blur and we don't really have any updates this month apart from that we packed more beans than we ever have before! Unfortunately our Roastery Manager had to have surgery at the start of December (he's fine) which meant that Zach basically spent the majority of the month not sleeping, roasting and packing beans whilst crying on the inside; isn't December the most wonderful time of year!

What We're Listening To

We've been on a big hip-hop and rap binge recently in the roastery. Flipping between classics from the iconic Biggie Smalls and MF Doom to modern bangers from Tyler The Creator and Kendrick Lamar we've had a wide selection of big beats blasting out the speakers. Here's a few highlights we recommend.

  1. Notorious B.I.G - Ready To Die: Classic Hip-Hop in it's purest form from one of the top artists of the genre.
  2.  Kendrick Lamar - GNX: Kendrick doing what he does best. Big beats, crazy rhyming schemes, bold lyrics all packaged up in a stunning album that will keep you coming back over and over.
  3. MF DOOM - MM FOOD: Taken from us at his peak MF DOOM is known for being one of the most iconic rappers of the 00's. His early death that happened right here in Leeds immortalised him as one of the greats for future generations. Seamlessly blending elements of funk, R&B, Grime and Hip-Hop together to create a unique sound that MF DOOM is known for. Great album from start to finish. 
  4. Tyler The Creator - Wolf: Tyler has been one of my favourite rap artists since Goblin came out in 2011 but my personal favourite album is WOLF from 2013. This album is just everything I love about rap and hip-hop. Funny and witty from start to finish with a wide range of bangers that will keep you entertained. I personally recommend IFHY feat. Pharrell or Pigs.