Uganda Norman Mukuru Espresso

Nestled in the lush foothills of Uganda's Mount Elgon, The Coffee Yard is a massive receiving and drying center established by Norman Mukuru. Sourcing from the high-altitude districts of Sironko, Mbale, Bulambuli, and Kapchorwa, Norman brings nearly two decades of deep coffee expertise to every harvest.

​Since 2018, Norman has focused his passion on perfecting the Natural process. He is constantly tweaking his fermentation and drying methods to craft the exact, vibrant profiles that the specialty coffee world is looking for.

​To bring these exceptional coffees to a wider audience, The Coffee Yard is now in the second year of a commercial partnership with The Coffee Gardens, who support Norman in exporting his lots to the UK and EU through Falcon Specialty. This is a relationship built on a strong foundation of trust, a mutual exchange of processing knowledge, and a shared dedication to improving farmer traceability programs.

​This specific lot showcases Norman's meticulous approach to Natural processing:

• ​Reception & Sorting: Cherries delivered from the four surrounding regions are immediately floated in water and hand-sorted to remove any underripe or defective fruit.
• Drip Drying: The cherries undergo an initial drip-drying phase on raised beds to gently remove excess surface moisture.
• ​Secondary Sorting: A second, strict separation is done based on moisture level and color to ensure absolute uniformity across the batches.
• Controlled Fermentation: To develop the coffee's complex, fruity character, the cherries are fermented in either sealed barrels or open tanks, depending on the specific profile Norman is targeting.
• Slow Drying: Finally, the coffee is dried slowly and carefully on raised African beds for at least 21 days until it reaches the perfect moisture content for export.