Papua New Guinea Nebilyer Valley Peaberry

Description

This Papua New Guinea Nebilyer Valley Peaberry is sourced from family-owned farms in the Nebilyer Valley, Tambul-Nebilyer District, Papua New Guinea. Farmers in this area are organized around the Kuta mill, operated by Brian Leahy.

The Tambul-Nebilyer District is located in the Western Highlands of the Bismarck mountain range. With the multiple active and non-active volcanoes of the range, the elevations, and the tropical motane rain forest this area couldn’t be any better for growing coffee! Farmers cultivate their coffee on 1-2 hectares of land (about 2-5 acres) at about 1,350 meters above sea level. Harvested cherries are transported to Kuta mill where the coffee is fully washed, sun dried, and prepared for export.

There is a long history to the coffee growing in this area including tribal fighting, colonialism, and independence. Brian Leahy’s father, Dan Leahy (along with some of his brothers), was one of the first outsiders to explore the Highlands in the 1930’s and helped start the beginnings of commercial coffee growing. Kuta mill was built between the lands of the Ulga and Kulga tribes. Producers from these traditionally warring tribes found a very basic peace using the Kuta mill and have remained peaceful for the last 40+ years. From a 2013 interview; “Brian Leahy runs the last of the coffee co-operatives that, after Papua New Guinea gained independence in 1975, succeeded the great colonial family plantations that had spread across the Western Highlands…”We are the last one still in production. All the others fell apart because of tribal conflicts,” says Leahy…”The tribes in our area don’t like each other but they think it is safer to stay together so we are still going.”

Rich aroma of dark chocolate and graham cracker. A smooth, full bodied cup with good richness. Nuances of semi-sweet chocolate, caramel, pastry, and a hint of red apple and spice.

$18.95