Confirm action
| Country | Uganda |
| Region | Kajere, Sipi, Yilwanako-Mayiyi, Bukalasi, Buginyanya communities. Mt. Elgon |
| Farm | Small Holder Farmers |
| Variety | Nyasaland, SL-14, SL-28 |
| Elevation | 1600-2200 m |
| Processing | Anaerobic Natural. Whole cherry dry fermentation, sun dried then shade dried on raised beds. |
| Tasting notes | Tropical fruit, Apple, Cocoa |
| Bean: Url | https://www.contrabean.ca/products/uganda-sironko-station-anaerobic-natural |
| Bean: Cost | 20.5 |
| Bean: Name | UGA - Sironko Station Natural |
| Bean: Note | Processed in Mountain Harvests most centralized wet mill facility, Ibrahim Kiganda and his assistant Ruth Chebet receive cherries at Mountain Harvest’s hub of innovation and research - Sironko Station. Found at the base of Mount Elgon, staff members funnel cherry from some of the mountain’s most isolated communities in Yilwanako Mayiyi, Buginyanya, Bushiyi, Makali, Bukalasi, and Sipi. Here, Mountain Harvests expert staff have full variable control through infrastructure and tested protocols developed for the unique Ugandan context. Equipped with years of data, Ibrahim fine-tunes his station and staff each season, allowing him to take Mountain Harvest coffees toccompetitions globally to secure Uganda’s place in the specialty industry. As Uganda’s National Barista Competition winner (AFCA, 2022), you will be sure to see Uganda’s excellence from beehive to barista in these coffees through Ibrahim’s and his team’s work.A part of Mountain Harvest's Innovation Series, this nano lot was curated by Sironko's processing manager, Ibrahim Kiganda. For a season, Mountain Harvest commits time to new processing protocols to test their profiling and consistency. Ibrahim recieved these cherries exclusively from the Northern part of Mount Elgon. Once received, he accepted a cherry board anlaysis of 80% and above and a brix reading of 17 and above for this protocol. The cherries are then placed in drums filling to the top for a dry fermentation with no water. The drum is then closed and sealed to ferment for 72 hours. The drum was then opened and the cherries placed on raised beds for 2-3 weeks in the facility's open drying space in direct sun, the drying is the finished in shade until 10.5% moisture content. The cherries cure in a temperature controlled warehouse in Mbale, resting for up to two months for best results.So much of coffee research that affects worldwide producer groups is done solely within the Latin American context. Mountain Harvest has found through their partnerships, the translation of methodology does not always apply to the Ugandan context. The Innovation Series provides an opportunity for the youthful coffee curious of Uganda the abilities to conduct and analyze research necessary for good decision making on the ground. With this, they find new techniques and flavor profiles each year, all awhile provides some truly fun coffees to ourroasting partners. |
| Bean: Weight | 340 |
| Bean: Bean mix | SINGLE_ORIGIN |
| Bean: Buy date | 2026-02-03T15:24:00.000Z |
| Bean: Roaster | Contrabean |
| Bean: Aromatics | Tropical fruit, Apple, Cocoa |
| Bean: Roast range | 2 |
| Bean: Roasting date | 2026-01-29T15:24:00.000Z |
| Bean: Decaffeinated | false |
| Bean: Bean roasting type | ESPRESSO |
| Brew: Note | Ground slightly coarser @ 2. Bianca temp up to 96° & auto pre-infusion corrected: On for 6” and Off + 10”. After pump back on, decreased pressure to ≈7-8 bar, cut @ 45g. Nicer, greater sweetness and a more harmonious balance between sweetness and acidity, but still sharp. |
| Brew: Rating | 84 |
| Brew: Brew time | 32 |
| Brew: Grind size | 2 |
| Brew: Coffee type | espresso |
| Brew: Vessel name | oriana orange |
| Brew: Vessel weight | 133.1 |
| Brew: Bean weight in | 18.7 |
| Brew: Brew temperature | 96 |
| Brew: Pressure profile | Bianca: 96° Temp, Auto pre-infusion 6" On + 10" Off |
| Brew: Brew quantity type | GR |
| Brew: Coffee blooming time | 10 |
| Brew: Brew beverage quantity | 48.2 |
| Brew: Coffee first drip time | 8 |
| Brew: Brew beverage quantity type | GR |
| Mill: Name | DF64 |
| Water: Tds type | PPM |
| Preparation: Name | Lelit Bianca |
| Preparation: Type | PORTAFILTER |
| Preparation: Style type | ESPRESSO |
The fact that you have found more sweetness but still experience “sharpness” suggests that while you have unlocked the sugars, the high-intensity acidity characteristic of SL-28 and Nyasaland varieties at 2200m is still dominating the profile.
To move beyond this remaining sharpness, consider these adjustments:
• Push the Ratio to 1:3: You are currently at approximately a 1:2.6 ratio (18g in, ~48g out). With very dense, high-altitude beans, a longer ratio of 1:3 (54g out) often provides the necessary dilution to transform “sharp” acidity into a more pleasant, “vibrant” fruit note while pulling out the final remaining sugars for balance.
• The 6-Bar Ceiling: High pressure (9 bars) can sometimes over-emphasize the phosphoric acidity in anaerobic naturals. Try using the paddle to hold the pressure at a constant 6 bars for the entire post-bloom extraction. This lower-pressure approach is gentler on the puck and can lead to a rounder, softer mouthfeel that masks the sharp edges of the SL varieties.
• Lower Flow Rate Target: Since your flow is currently at 2.5 ml/s, you might try tightening the DF64 slightly to aim for a flow rate of 1.5–2.0 ml/s. A slower flow increases contact time and can help the heavier, syrupy components of the anaerobic process catch up to the fast-extracting acids.
• Perform a “Salami Shot”: To diagnose exactly where the sharpness is coming from, pull a shot and swap cups every 10 seconds. You will likely find the first cup is intensely acidic/sour, the second is sweet, and the third is more balanced. This will tell you if you simply need to pull the shot longer (more yield) or if the sharpness is integrated throughout the entire extraction.
The 96°C temperature and the extended 10-second bloom are already working well to soften the density of the Sironko beans, so focusing on the final yield and pressure ceiling will likely be the final step in achieving that harmonious balance.