The Cup That Counts - Uganda Series - Part Five

UGANDAN COFFEE

Uganda has a long history of producing coffee. In fact, Uganda is widely understood to be the birthplace of robusta coffee and remains one of the world's largest producers of robusta - with the majority being grown in the west of the country. It is also synonymous with arabica coffee, although production has dropped significantly since the 1970’s. The majority of Uganda’s arabica coffee is either grown in the east - on or around Mt Elgon and processed in Mbale. Uganda has its own arabica varietal - SL14 - which is a derivative of French Mission. It displays a medium level of acidity quite unique for an African coffee, as well as a big body, and gentle sweetness.

The coffee funded by The Cup That Counts and produced by Zukuka Bora is almost entirely SL14 (with the exception of a small amount of SL28) and displays typical SL14 characteristics. A gentle fruity acidity is backed up by a sweet rounded body and pleasant aroma. The ability to separate the coffee into unique regions and screen sizes will result in some very individual characteristics in Zukuka Bora’s lots, some that have never before been seen in Ugandan coffee. At Commonfolk the Zukuka Bora coffee will make up an important part of our blends, playing the role of a Brazil meets Central American hybrid, displaying both smoothness but also fruitiness. Some of the higher quality and more unique micro-lots will no doubt feature as single origins for both filter and espresso applications. Ugandan specialty coffee is only really just starting to spread its wings and we fully believe in the future it will be a stalwart of the single origin market.

The story continues here.

Photography by Ryan Toleman