Uganda Mount Elgon - natural

The Coffee Yard, Mbale
Variety: SL14, SL28 & Nyasaland
natural, 1800-2200 m

Situated at the foot of Mount Elgon is The Coffee Yard, a processing station run by Norman Mukuru and his team. Established in 2018, coffees from the districts of Sironko, Mbale, Bulambuli and Kapchorwa are processed here – solely using the natural (dry) method. With over 20 years of experience in the coffee industry, Norman is an expert in the field - Felix was able to see this for himself in 2024 when he visited The Coffee Yard on his origin trip to Uganda.

Processing: After the coffees being delivered, the cherries are floated (unripe cherries float on the surface, ripe ones are heavier and sink) and sorted out. The cherries are then spread out on raised beds to remove the initial moisture. The cherries are then separated again, this time according to color and moisture content to create uniform batches. Now Fermentation takes place, either in sealed barrels or (as in this case) in open tanks, depending on the end profile the team wants to achieve. The cherries are then dried for around 21 days - again on raised beds - until they reach the target moisture content of less than 12%.