Meaning “place of rocks” in the Kikuyu language, Ruarai is the name of both a regional river and a local coffee processing factory in Kenya's Nyeri region. Consisting of the usual suspects of Kenyan coffee varietals–SL 28, SL 34, Ruiru 11 and Batian–this coffee contains crop from ~600 regional smallholder farmers, most of whom grow on less than 2 hectares in the red volcanic soil along the base of Mount Kenya. Cherry is sorted, pulped, fermented for 16-18 hours, and washed before being dried on raised beds for 13-14 days. Expect a citrus-forward, but not tart, coffee with lots of blood orange and clementine juiciness and a candied sage note that hints at savory but never quite gets there. As the cup cools, the citrus brightness settles into an almost creamsicle texture.
Operating since 1990, Phoenix Coffee holds distinction as one of Cleveland's original specialty roasters, pioneering quality coffee culture in Ohio long before it became mainstream. The roastery transitioned to employee ownership, operating as a cooperative where every team member shares in the vision and success. With multiple locations serving the Cleveland area, Phoenix Coffee remains committed to the values established over three decades of community engagement and excellence.
